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Just southeast of downtown Austin, Texas, a massive 100-by-24-foot mural brings a burst of color to a neutral retaining wall. The striking abstract composition showcases a musician strumming a guitar, illuminated with bold hues of red, purple, orange, and blue.
What makes this eye-catching artwork even more impressive is the dedication of the artist who brought it to life.
Suspended by climbing rope, Joe Diril found himself scaling the wall like a rock climber to complete one of his most challenging murals yet. With telephone wires crisscrossing above and a crumbling wall surface, using a lift was out of the question, and ladders would only damage the artwork—Diril had to tackle the project in an incredibly physically demanding process. It’s not an uncommon day in the life.
From high-rise luxury penthouses in Miami to the building that houses Facebook’s database, Diril’s mural work spans both challenging and prestigious locations, often requiring heavy machinery and specialized equipment.
“Experiences like these bring on impostor syndrome,” he laughed. “I’m just a guy, and here I am, on the side of a building. But there’s nowhere I’d rather be.”
Known as “Turk,” the muralist and mixed media artist behind the brand “Turk Made It” is making waves across the United States. Originally from Ankara, Turkey, Diril moved to the U.S. at age 8 and earned his nickname during his career as a professional dancer.
Diril has long gravitated toward creative pursuits, earning a graphic design degree and even working as a runway model after being scouted at a dance performance. He focused on photography and videography for a decade as CEO of his company, Introvisuals, capturing over 300 weddings and documenting moments for professional boxer Terence Crawford at Madison Square Garden.
Diril’s business thrived just before the COVID-19 pandemic, but ultimately left him feeling unfulfilled. Around this time, he purchased a van with plans to travel across the country. He also set his sights on an even bigger goal: the Camino de Santiago, a six-week pilgrimage across Spain. As COVID-19 disrupted global travel, both aspirations were put on hold, and all of his gigs were canceled.
Diril found himself ready for a new challenge.
With the extra time on his hands, Diril decided to pursue the artistic venture he’d long been eyeing—mural art. What began as a personal project to escape the negativity of social media quickly evolved into something more.
Diril completed his first mural in Texas, painting for free on a wall someone was willing to donate. To his surprise, that client paid him for the work and quickly hired him for another building. His talent soon gained attention across the country, causing a snowball effect of mural commissions.
He completed 17 murals in just 15 months—and his portfolio has only expanded since. Now spanning almost 40 murals from coast to coast, Diril’s work has caught the eyes of prestigious clients such as Facebook, Trammell Crow Residential, and Mill Creek Residential Trust.
“Since 2020, I’ve had the most abundance I’ve ever had in my life,” he reflected.
In 2022, Diril finally got the chance to complete the Camino de Santiago after years of nonstop commissions. Today, Diril approaches each mural project with a mindset reminiscent of his Camino trek, embodying the same endurance and meticulous planning required for both.
As his project manager, Sue Vickery has been instrumental in helping him connect with clients and tackle the intricacies of large-scale projects.
“By the time he starts installation, he’s already spoken with the client many times and come up with a design they love,” Vickery said.
Whether the design calls for comic book style or abstract elements, Diril ensures each mural reflects the client’s vision. “The only consistency in my art is that it tends to be colorful,” he joked.
It doesn’t matter to Diril if a mural will be displayed in a high-traffic public space or in a private building—Vickery said he pours the same detail and care into every piece.
“When it comes to color and composition, I don’t think anyone can top Joe,” she affirmed. “If you look at his portfolio, you’ll see how each of his pieces has helped anchor the aesthetic of every location.”
While Diril’s work frequently takes him to cities such as Dallas, Seattle, and Miami, his studio in Benson is a true home base, allowing him to stay close to friends and family. Working locally offers him something unique.
“The (Omaha Summer Arts Festival) has actually been my only experience with direct feedback and seeing how my art is received, and it’s been very positive,” he shared.
“When I finish a piece, other people might sit there and admire it. Maybe they’ll drive back around,” Diril explained. “Meanwhile, I take a couple of cell phone pictures, drive away, and never think about it again. Sometimes, I’ll look at an art piece I literally just finished and feel like it created itself.”
It’s this mindset that inspires the motto in his social media bio, “attached to nothing, connected to everything.” He remains flexible, focusing on the journey rather than specific outcomes.
Yet, Diril is proud of how far he’s come—projects that might’ve once taken him eight days would now take him three. He eagerly embraces new art styles with confidence, even if it’s his first attempt. “My project manager gets frustrated, saying, ‘You’re supposed to practice before the job, not on the job!’” Diril laughed.
“Watching Joe explode as a muralist over the past few years has been a privilege to witness,” Vickery shared. “He never misses a deadline, be it for delivering initial concepts or completing an install.”
Though Diril often shifts focus after mastering a skill, he plans to continue creating murals for the foreseeable future.
“My goal is to go for bigger gigs, but less frequently,” Diril said. “There was a two-year stretch where I hadn’t even been in my own house for more than 10 days in a row.”
Diril admits he’s been enjoying moments of stillness whenever they find him, expressing a desire for a simpler life and to spend more time with his two cats. When it comes to developing his art, he’s particularly interested in improving his 3-D skills in sculpting and welding.
“Not many people can look at my work and instantly recognize it as mine,” Diril said. “You don’t even know it’s mine unless you look for my signature.”
For him, the joy is in the process.
“Even if I’m never acknowledged as an artist, I’m okay with that,” he said sincerely. “I’m not chasing fame or fortune. As long as I’m doing what excites me, that speaks louder than my name ever could.”
For more information, visit turkmadeit.com.
This article originally appeared in the November/December 2024 issue of Omaha Magazine. To receive the magazine, click here to subscribe.
