Tomaž Kržišnik

(1943–2023)

Tomaž Kržišnik was a prolific Slovenian painter, illustrator, and designer whose work blended traditional techniques with experimental approaches. Educated at the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, he belonged to a generation of artists who expanded the boundaries of illustration, design, and book-making in the post-war Yugoslav cultural space.

Tomaž Kržišnik: Painter and Son-in-Law

Tomaž Kržišnik (1943–2023), son-in-law of renowned gardener Juta Krulc, was a prolific Slovenian painter, illustrator, and designer whose career spanned over five decades. Born in the Žiri house that now hosts the vibrant Garden Kržišnik, he studied at Warsaw’s Academy of Fine Arts, earning a Master’s in book illustration in 1968. This training placed him among Slovenia’s pioneering artists who redefined graphic art in the 1970s. After marrying Juta’s daughter Maja, the couple returned to his childhood home, where Juta’s evolving garden became both sanctuary and muse.

A Multidisciplinary Visionary

Kržišnik’s versatility spanned oil painting, graphic design (including Alpina’s iconic logo), theater sets, puppetry, and interior design. He taught visual communications at Ljubljana’s Academy of Fine Arts and Design (ALUO) for decades, mentoring generations. Colleague Radovan Jenko noted his boundary-blurring approach: “In graphic design, he thought like a painter; in painting, he solved problems like a designer.”

Awards, Legacy, and Honors

Kržišnik received Slovenia’s highest artistic accolades:

  • Prešeren Fund Award (for outstanding artistic achievement)

  • Plečnik Award (for contributions to design and architecture)

  • Grohar Award (for lifetime achievement in fine arts)

  • Hinko Smrekar Lifetime Achievement Award for Illustration (awarded posthumously in 2024).

His work gained international exposure through platforms like Artnet and exhibitions abroad. Posthumously, his travel sketches and techniques were celebrated in the 2025 Škofja Loka exhibition Time Captured in the Drawings of Tomaž Kržišnik. With Maja, he co-founded the Kržišnik Garden Gallery at their Žiri home, blending art with Juta’s horticultural masterpiece. Today, the garden stands as their shared legacy—a harmonious fusion of creativity, nature, and memory.