Artist - tinyhouses from driftwood

Piran, ein winziges Dorf in Slowenien, durfte ich vergangenen Sommer in mein Herz schließen.

Bezaubernd und lebendig zugleich. Ein wenig so wie die junge Frau namens Nika. Sie sprüht vor kreativer Energie und ist ein richtiges Energiebündel. Ihre Leidenschaft besteht darin, aus Schwemmholz kleine Häuser – sogenannte Tiny-Houses – herzustellen. Vielleicht weißt du, dass ich selbst ein „Tiny“ baue, wenn meines mit 30 m² auch um einiges Größer ist. ;) Somit war die Freude noch größer, über diese Frau eine kleine Reportage machen zu dürfen. Seht selbst, mit welcher Leidenschaft Nika ihre Berufung lebt.

Piran, a tiny village in Slovenia, immediately touched my heart last summer. Charming and lively at the same time. Very much like the young woman I met named Nika. She was spilling creative energy and she really was kind of a “energy-bunch”. Her passion was to make small houses, called tiny-houses that are made out of driftwood. Maybe some of you have heard that I´m currently building a tiny-house for myself, although mine will be pretty much bigger. So it was a real pleasure for me to make a reportage about her. Find out for yourself what Nikas passion is all about.

WHO ARE YOU AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING?
I am Nika from Piran. I´m making tiny-houses that represent a smal scale model of the village of Piran, and they are made out of driftwood.

HOW DID YOU FIND YOUR PASSION?
After college I took a year off and in winter time I spent a lot of time walking on the beaches. I saw people making boats from driftwood, but I could only find square pieces. That is how I started to make tiny-houses that resemble Piran houses.

WHAT ARE THE MOST DIFFICULT CHALLENGES?
The most difficult thing about it is to get the material. I can´t buy it and it is very unpredictable when I will be able to get it. Mostly I find it in winter time in hardly accessable areas. Once I get hold of the material I´m able to make things that I have in my mind. I spend a lot of time making them, because I really love to create them. However, to sell them is a pretty hard task.

WHAT IS THE MOST FULFILLING THING ABOUT YOUR PASSION?
I love being creative and trying new things, exploring the material and be able to do what I want. Nobody tells me what to do. I can do whatever I want, whenever I want. It´s pleasing when clients or tourists love my art and I can see that it inspires them. That really makes my day!

WHICH ADVIVE WOULD YOU GIVE OTHER PEOPLE?
Step out of your comfort zone. Never get too busy making a living, so that you forget to live. Stay wild!