Julija is a very tactile ceramicist and has always drawn inspiration from nature for her work. Her design and making process are guided by sustainable, recycled and natural materials. She experimented with various media before setting on ceramics, developing her own unique style of elegant, minimalist thrown and hand-built tableware and decorative pieces, which bring the impression of the varied Scottish landscape indoors.

After finishing her degree in Landscape Architecture (firstly in Slovenia and later at the Edinburgh College of Art), she decided to turn her concentration towards her love of nature, design and being a little more ‘hands-on’! She became a member of Edinburgh Ceramics Workshop and had a key part in the development of its new teaching studio at Abbeymount, along with taking on the role of the studio technician.

Julija’s unique organic ceramics explore the connection between the shapes of the landscape and the feeling of natural materials (clay, sand, rocks). Pinches of sand collected from her travels to the remote coasts of Scotland (including the Orkney Islands, Shetlands, Western Isles and Skye) are incorporated into the clay she uses to create her pieces, resulting in an earthy, raw texture. Using only transparent glazing and exposed rough surfaces, every piece presents a full sensory experience.

The natural colouring of the pieces comes from a mix of porcelain and different coloured clays and speckles of sand. Julija has also recently started to experiment with incorporating wild clays she collects herself from the banks of rivers and streams across Scotland. A mix of these materials are then used to create both her functional and decorative sandscape pieces, along with bespoke commissions inspired by rock formations which mimic nature’s topography.