Gallery NK

Tucked away amid the rowhouses of NoMA is a once run-down warehouse transformed into a clean, modern contemporary art gallery. The charming studio, Gallery NK, is the creation of Turkish-born artist Nihal Kececi. With genuine Turkish hospitality, Kececi and her daughter Julie welcomed this reporter into their gallery with coffee, tea, and desserts. There, we chatted, and I learned of her journey from Turkey to K Street, and more specifically, 321 K St. NE. As a child, Kececi demonstrated a knack for painting and was encouraged by family and friends to pursue art school. But Kececi had different plans in mind. “I wanted to be a more important person in life. I wanted to be a doctor or engineer.