New wallpaper collection: Josipa Maras and Mateja Kovač present their first shared artistic vision

In art – and in the world of interior design – it’s rare to see two creative visions truly come together. Every artist experiences their work as a personal story, a unique expression, an intimate process. But only a few understand that sharing creativity doesn’t mean losing identity – it strengthens it. That’s the philosophy behind the new collaboration between Josipa Maras and Mateja Kovač, two exceptional artists who have decided to merge their authentic signatures into a new wallcovering collection: Studijo x Mateja Kovač. Each brings her own recognizable style, yet they are united by a shared passion. We caught them just as they were wrapping up their first collaboration to find out how these two inspiring women have enriched the Croatian art scene.

Studijo founder Josipa Maras and illustrator Mateja Kovač are two strong creative forces whose professional paths have been developing in parallel for years – each in her own world, but with the same deep commitment to authenticity. For over 20 years, Josipa has been transforming her love of painting into an inspiring career, creating wallcovering art recognized with numerous international design awards. On the other hand, Mateja Kovač is one of Croatia’s leading digital illustrators, with more than 12 years of experience and over 230 projects completed worldwide. This seasoned digital painter and commercial illustration expert is known for her airy, refined style that blends vibrancy with understated elegance. She creates premium illustrations for brands with vision and appreciation for craftsmanship, shaping client ideas into intimate narratives – warm, human stories captured in subtle gestures of charming figures.

If you’ve followed their work, you already know that authenticity is their strongest personal and professional signature. And if you’re just discovering them, their first joint collection brings together their greatest strengths: Mateja’s illustrations with a powerful aesthetic identity and Josipa’s clearly defined design signature. The new collection reflects months of dreams, thoughts, and creative exploration. It features 14 of Mateja’s illustrations, transformed into a special Studijo wallcovering line – their first official collaboration.

“The story of this collaboration began almost a year ago. Although Studijo regularly receives collaboration requests from artists around the world, none of the ideas really clicked. Until one day, while reading yet another email with an open proposal, I suddenly felt I already knew the answer. Something pulled me to reach out to Mateja. I’ve followed her work for nearly ten years and have always been in love with her artistic expression. To me, Mateja is the best illustrator in this region. When we connected about the collaboration, my vision was clear – I wanted her artistic voice and the value she creates to become part of Studijo in some form. And here we are today, proud to stand behind something big – something that will present Croatia even more beautifully to the world and showcase the richness of talent created by our brushstrokes”, said Josipa Maras.

For the collection, Josipa selected Mateja’s independent, self-initiated illustrations – works she created for herself, outside of client commissions. The collaboration was built around existing pieces that Josipa fell in love with instantly.

“My goal was to preserve Mateja’s distinctive painterly expression while adapting the compositions, textures, adding subtle elements, and incorporating the refined Studijo style to make the works suitable for interiors. I truly believe I won’t be the only one who falls in love with her artistic handwriting, and that this collection will capture the hearts of art and interior enthusiasts alike. I would even dare to say that this is a wallpaper collection unlike anything currently on the market”, added the founder of Studijo.

For Mateja Kovač, collaborating with Studijo carried special meaning – not only as a professional milestone, but also as a return to her original desire to bring illustration more strongly into interior spaces.

“This collaboration brings me back to where I started – my very first wall decoration was created for a pastry shop, including my first wallpaper design. Although I’ve always been drawn to wallpaper, I never wanted to step into production. I wanted to keep my art in the creative realm – where I feel the freest, where I breathe and create without limitations. That’s why this collaboration means so much to me. If Studijo had existed when I was starting my career, I believe I would have asked Josipa for a job. I’ve always seen Studijo as a brand that could only have been created by her. I’m grateful that Josipa invited me, because we both decided to take a bold step. She inspires me both personally and professionally – her career path is the perfect example of how talent, consistency, and vision can grow into an internationally relevant brand. I’m proud that our shared vision will now decorate homes around the world”, emphasized Mateja Kovač.

You can explore their joint collection here: Studijo x Mateja Kovač