Hello, I'm Nika!

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

NIXI Studio is rooted in a place long before it became a studio. I work where I grew up, on a 150-year-old family homestead in a quiet hillside village, surrounded by forests, fields, and close knit community of people who know how to stand together. As a child, I was part of the group, yet I always stood out a bit. Not because I didn’t belong, but because I experienced the world differently. While others were very sporty and outgoing, I was a quiet, attentive child who observed. deeply connected to natural details, textures, and small shifts in light, form, and rhythm. That sensitivity continues to shape my work today.

A SMALL BASKET AND A BIG BEGINNING

My relationship with craft began at home, from my grandfather, who was a skilled basket weaver. For my third birthday, he made me a small woven basket that I still have today. And I believe that’s where my craft instinct first took root. Not long after, my grandfather passed away, and with him, much of the basket weaving knowledge in our family nearly disappeared and his workshop remained untouched.

Today, this tradition continues through my work with glasse and ceramics, my primary materials. And years later, I consciously chose to learn basket weaving myself, to keep the knowelage alive and to prevent it from disappearing.

CHOOSING THE NOT-SO-SAFE PATH

My path led me through an art high school and then to the Academy of Fine Arts and Design, where I studied Applied Arts, focused on glass and ceramics. It was not a safe choice. In Slovenia, there is no clear profession for this kind of study, and working in culture is known to be unstable.

My parents respected my decision, but they wanted me to become an art teacher and study art pedagogy, so I would have a safe and stable job. My dad always said that teachers will always be needed. I understood their concern, but I chose to take a different path and step into the unknown.

A FEW MILESTONES (AND A LOT OF STUDIO DAYS)

My studies helped me turn intuition into knowledge. I learned discipline, technique, and how to translate ideas into form. Today, alongside my studio practice, I pass this knowledge on. I work as a mentor in the glass and ceramics lab at Center Rog and as an external lecturer in Glass at the Academy of Fine Arts and Design. So yes, in the end, I also do teach. Just alongside my studio practice, not instead of it like my dad imagined.

My work has been shown in several group and solo exhibitions in Slovenia and abroad. Among the most important was European Ceramic Context in Denmark, one of the most prestigious ceramic exhibitions in Europe. My glass plates were also recognized among the best designs at Zagreb Design Week. But most days, you’ll still find me on our farm working in my studio.

OBJECTS FOR EVERYDAY RITUALS

At NIXI Studio, tableware is made for people who value slowness, touch, and meaning. These are not rushed objects. Every cup, plate, and vessel is shaped slowly and by hand, using traditional techniques. From tableware designed for professional kitchens to functional pieces that bring warmth and meaning into everyday life at home, every form is created with intention to bring warmth into everyday moments, and to gently elevate daily rituals.

MATERIALS THAT CAN KEEP UP WITH REAL LIFE

NIXI pieces are crafted from high-fired clay, porcelain, and quality glass, making them durable, functional, and reliable. They are dishwasher safe, suitable for oven and microwave use, and resistant to physical and chemical stress, made to be used every day, without compromise.

Some pieces are made from wild clay, personally collected in the surroundings of the family homestead. This clay goes through careful testing before use, ensuring it meets the same high standards of quality, strength, and safety as all other materials.

IF THIS FEELS LIKE YOU

If you are drawn to calm mornings, thoughtful rituals, and objects that feel right in your hands, you are in the right place. When morning tea tastes better in the right cup, and a shared meal feels more grounded around a well-set table. Every piece is dialogue between materials, between tradition and modern design, between function and poetry.

And sometimes, the experience goes even further.

At the family homestead where NIXI Studio is based, workshops are hosted throughout the year, inviting you to slow down, work with your hands, and experience the place and pace behind the objects.

WELCOME

NIXI studio is my world. And I am happy to share it with you.

If you believe in slow making, objects with a story, and the beauty of everyday life , then you are at home here.