Widely regarded as Ralph Lauren’s top art designer for years, the colorful masterpieces of Sitka Gulergun are known to invoke feelings of joy and happiness worldwide. His greatest masterpiece, however? The kindness and love his wife Helaine and him share with hundreds of guests daily at their gallery on Newbury Street.
IT’s the dinner rush on Newbury Street. Hundreds of people walk with purpose. Dinner plans await. Drinks sit atop bars. But if you stop between Dartmouth and Exeter, there’s an almost poetic juxtaposition. Inside the Bluemercury, eyeshadow pallets are prominently on display. Just one floor above, you’ll find Sitka Home Art Gallery where the pallets are coated in bright paint, the literal leftovers from a feast of art. The gallery is one of the brightest stars in the Back Bay’s solar system of fashion, luxury, and beauty. At first, you’ll be drawn in by the stunning artwork. Colors leap off the page. Then, the building’s history begins to shine through. The exposed brick arches provide a pop of texture, giving way to a back wall of stunning paintings that capture the essence of Boston. The art stretches beyond canvas, spilling onto gorgeous pillows and vases. And you cannot miss the mannequins. Yes, there are mannequins. Creativity oozes from every corner of the studio.
The brilliance behind it all: Sitka Gulergun. His works are on permanent display, as is his wife Helaine, who sits by his side. The only thing rivaling their love is their mutual adoration for each other’s talents. Their love story is told with each stroke of the canvas. If art tells a story, this gallery holds tales of high fashion in Manhattan and European lure and adventure.
From Mediterranean Roots to Fashion’s Upper Echelons
Sitka’s story begins in southern Turkey, where he grew up surrounded by the azure waters of the Mediterranean and his family’s lush orange groves. This early exposure to nature’s vivid palette would shape his artistic vision for years to come. “I see the world in color,” Sitka muses, his eyes twinkling with the same vibrancy that characterizes his art. “I see depth, perspective, everything in color.”
After high school, driven by political circumstances and an insatiable hunger for artistic growth, Sitka made the decision to pursue his education in England. It was a choice that would set him on a path to becoming the artist he is today. “I asked my father if I could go to England,” Sitka recalls. “He gave me a choice. He said, ‘I’ll give you two years to study English because he’s in business, and also he’s a part-time artist.'”
Those two years would stretch into eight as Sitka’s talent blossomed under the watchful eye of some of England’s finest art institutions. From Oxford to the prestigious Saint Martin’s College, Sitka honed his craft, eventually earning three master’s degrees in museum research, printed textiles, and fashion illustration.
The Ralph Lauren Years: A Shared Canvas
Armed with his newfound skills and an eye for color that set him apart, Sitka found himself in the bustling heart of New York’s fashion industry. His talent didn’t go unnoticed for long. Soon, he was creating iconic prints for none other than Ralph Lauren, a position that would define a significant chapter of his career. His designs graced the fabrics of one of America’s most beloved fashion houses, bringing a touch of his Mediterranean-inspired color and print sensibility to the Ralph Lauren aesthetic.
Sitka’s role at Ralph Lauren was pivotal, as he explains, “I created this style. It was my artistic print ideas that became Ralph Lauren. That’s why we did the exhibit called ‘My Hand Behind Ralph Lauren Prints’ because it was my choice. I was the one to show Ralph this is what we should do, this is how we should do it.”
Helaine adds, “What was so wonderful is that Sitka is a fine artist… so it was easy for him, very natural for him, to create the textile prints, but in a fine art way.” Sitka was “creating thousands of the prints and patterns for all of the divisions. So the paisleys, the florals, the equestrian…”
But for Sitka, this success came with a bittersweet edge. “Even though I was creating all those beautiful things, I was never recognized as their creator,” he reflects. This lack of recognition would later fuel his desire to create art under his own name. A dream that would come to life in Boston.
A New Canvas: Boston and Sitka Home
The winds of change blew Sitka and Helaine to Boston in 2017. What started as a family obligation soon blossomed into a new chapter in their lives. Boston, with its brick buildings and rich history, reminded Sitka of the European cities he had grown to love during his time in England.
“I really love Boston,” Sitka describes. “It really reminds me of London with all the brick buildings.”
The city’s intellectual atmosphere and appreciation for the arts resonated deeply with Sitka. “There are three cities in the world that I think are well educated: Florence, Oxford, where I went to school, and Boston,” he proudly states.
Sitka Home Art Gallery is more than just a space to display art; it’s a testament to Sitka and Helaine’s journey and shared vision. Here, Sitka’s vibrant paintings of Boston scenes, abstract florals, and reimagined landscapes hang alongside hand-painted pillows and other artistic creations.
For Sitka, the gallery is a dream realized. “The first time I came here, Helaine – she’s from Boston – took me to Newbury Street,” Sitka recounts. “And I would walk in and see all the art galleries, and I turned around, and I said to her: ‘I wish I could have one painting in one of the galleries.’ 35 years later, here I am. I have my own gallery.”
In Living Color: Building Community Through COVID
In December 2020, amidst the uncertainty of the global pandemic, Sitka and Helaine took a leap of faith and opened Sitka Home Art Gallery on Newbury Street. The timing, though seemingly challenging, proved to be perfect. Helaine recounts the whirlwind decision: “We opened up the gallery in December of 2020. And it happened so quickly. We were so fortunate.” She explains, “[Sitka] was painting at home. He’s like, ‘I’m going to go crazy. I need a place.’ I’m like, ‘Okay, I’m on it.’ I sent out one email. Within 24 hours, we found a location.”
The gallery became not just a showcase for Sitka’s art, but a beacon of hope and color during a dark time. “When people started coming in during COVID, everyone’s wearing masks, but they came in and everyone was so emotional because they were stuck in their homes for so long,” Helaine remembers. “Our colors brought such happiness to so many people.”
The impact of Sitka’s art on visitors is profound and often emotional. Helaine shares the joy of witnessing people’s reactions: “People come into the gallery, and they are astonished when I tell them that everything is one person, that everything is his. And I love when we get kids in and students… They’ll be in here for an hour, and they’ll just be going from one painting to another and looking at the brush strokes and the detail… It’s incredible to see it.”
Sitka’s Artistic Process: A Symphony of Color
Sitka’s approach to art is as unique as his colorful creations. He likens his process to composing music, with colors serving as his notes. “Because of my textiles background, I know how to match colors,” he explains. “When I paint, it’s like musical notes. You put them together… it’s like harmony.”
Music plays a literal role in his creative process as well. Sitka’s playlist is as eclectic as his color palette, ranging from 70s rock to Brazilian bossa nova. “I listen to amazing music,” Sitka says. “A lot of rock, Gypsy Kings, Luis Miguel, and Alejandro Sanz, or it will be Deep Purple. Then I could go back to jazz or Brazilian music.” The rhythm of the music infuses his work, influencing the flow of his brush strokes and the vibrancy of his colors.
Unlike many artists, Sitka rarely starts with a sketch. “He never draws anything,” Helaine explains. “He just paints, which is very unique for an artist.” This direct approach to painting allows Sitka to capture the immediacy of his vision, translating the colors in his mind directly onto the canvas.
Sitka’s art is not about replicating reality but about capturing the essence of a scene through color and emotion. “It’s very spiritual for me.”
A Colorful Partnership
Behind every great artist is often a great partner, and for Sitka, that partner is Helaine. Their relationship, both personal and professional, is woven with threads of mutual respect and shared artistic vision. “We started as artists,” Sitka reflects on their early days together. “When we started our textile design business back in ’85, she used to mix the colors for me, and I used to paint.”
Today, their partnership continues to flourish at Sitka Home Art Gallery. While Sitka is the primary artist, Helaine’s keen eye and business acumen play a crucial role in the gallery’s success. Sitka expresses his appreciation for their partnership: “Helaine is not just… we love each other, but we also understand each other with art. She completes me a lot of times, like you hear it.”
However, when it comes to his paintings, Sitka maintains his artistic independence. With a chuckle, he adds, “But with my paintings, I don’t think anybody’s boss. I just do it my way. It’s my way or the highway.”
His transition from behind-the-scenes creator to front-and-center artist has allowed Sitka to fully express his unique vision. His contemporary paintings burst with light and color, drawing viewers into a world of vibrant expression.
“I was never recognized as their creator,” Sitka reflects on his time in the fashion industry. “So when I left in 2015 and we started doing my own stuff, I said, you know, from now on it’s gonna be my signature on the bottom of the art. It’s not somebody else’s signature.”
Inspiring the Next Generation
Sitka’s passion for art extends beyond his own creations. He takes great joy in inspiring young artists and sharing his wisdom with those just starting their creative journeys. “I love having young kids coming here or students,” Sitka says. “I love talking to them about how they should start and what they should do.”
His advice to aspiring artists is both practical and philosophical. “There’s no part-time art,” he asserts. “You’ve got to be a full-time artist, you’ve got to do it all the time. Otherwise, you don’t get it right.”
He emphasizes the importance of continuous practice and dedication, drawing parallels between art and sports. “Art is like playing tennis or any sport that a single person that they have to make a decision on their own,” he explains. “That’s what artists do. You have to make your own decision.”
Looking to the Future
As Sitka continues to create and inspire from his Newbury Street gallery, he has dreams for the future. “I want to be in a museum,” he declares with passion. “I don’t care if it’s one painting or half a painting. I want to be in a museum before I pass away.”
Beyond this ambition, Sitka envisions a future where he can travel through Europe, painting on location. “I want to travel around Europe – France, Spain, Italy, Germany, England – and paint,” he says, his eyes lighting up at the prospect. “Get a whole collection of European paintings.”
For now, though, Sitka finds joy and fulfillment in his daily routine at the gallery. “Every morning, I’m so excited to come,” he beams. “It’s six o’clock in the morning, I go, ‘Come on, let’s go again. Get ready. Let’s go to the gallery.'” This enthusiasm is palpable in every brushstroke, every splash of color that adorns the walls of Sitka Home Art Gallery.
As the sun sets on Newbury Street, casting a golden glow through the gallery windows, Sitka stands amidst his creations, a living testament to the power of following one’s passion. From the shores of Turkey to the heart of Boston, his journey has been one of color, creativity, and unwavering dedication to his art. In Sitka Home Art Gallery, he has created more than just a gallery – he has created a vibrant world where art comes alive, inviting all who enter to see the world through his colorful lens.
“I call myself the colorist,” Sitka says, summing up his artistic philosophy. “Everything relates in my painting to color. I see the world in color. I see depth. I see perspective, everything in color.” Sitka’s colors create a symphony that plays a tribute to Boston that only the Pops could rival.
