Şafak Okdemir was born in Ankara in 1960. She graduated from Ege University, Faculty of Medicine. After working as a physician, Şafak entered Mar­mara University Faculty of Fine Arts. She worked for many years as a designer in the publishing industry. She volunteered as an art teacher in a kindergarten for a year and in an elementary school for two school years.

She won second place in 2010 at Tudem Literature Awards Illustrated Children’s Books. She also won the first prize with Nice Nine’s Olive at 2016 Tudem Literature Awards Short Story Competition. Her picture book My Grand Mother’s Yellow Goat was shortlisted in 2019 Scholastic Asia Picture Books Awards.