interview by Anna Kalácska
11/12/2025
Eszter and Luki don’t just shape clay into form, they build quiet moments of reflection into every piece. Together they run Marék Műhely, a studio that has become an extension of their lives. From their home in Wekerletelep, they draw inspiration from their surroundings: century-old rooftops, shifting seasons, the rhythm of everyday life. Each object they create carries traces of that world: a balance of patience, colour and calm that mirrors the pace of their own days.
It was this shared way of seeing: the care for process, for materials and for the stories that objects can hold. That brought us together with Marék Műhely.
AK Tell us a bit more about yourselves — who are you when there’s no interview going on? What has been inspiring you most lately, whether in your work or outside of it?
MM We are Eszter and Luki, a married ceramicist couple. We have been running a studio together called Marék Műhely since 2020 and in many ways, it has become our life. We are lucky to live in an inspiring environment in Kispest, at Wekerletelep. Even a simple walk here surrounds us with thousands of colours and shapes — whether on 120-year-old traditional buildings or in the changing colours of nature.
This passing autumn is beautifully bright, and we try to bring its essence into our current pieces. At the same time, our Sun Collection has always been inspired by sunsets by the sea, we like to recall those moments and capture them through our art.
AK How long has this form of creation been part of your life?
Can you recall the first piece that made you think, “wow, this is truly us”?
MM When we began working with clay seriously, a natural, clean color palette became our signature. It reflected the harmony of our life back then. Over time, this palette has slowly expanded; as the colours of our ceramics have changed over the past five years, so have we. We’ve become more open to vibrant glazes, yet we’ve stayed true to our original vision of nature-inspired, muted tones.
The first real feeling of satisfaction came when, at our very first market, we received heart-warming comments about our ceramics. That was the moment we realized this might not only be the right artistic path for us, but also the right business one.
We couldn’t name a specific piece now — over time, we’ve learned not to get too attached to our own creations. We’ve accepted that each piece will eventually find a new home or may even break one day, it’s simply part of working with ceramics.
AK It’s no question that you’re both coffee people — otherwise we wouldn’t be here together! But how do you like your coffee? Do you have a favorite brewing method or a morning ritual that starts your day?
MM When it comes to rituals, we probably drink too much coffee, though we try to stay efficient, especially in the mornings. Our daughter, who’s the same age as our studio, makes it a bit harder to have slow coffee rituals early in the day. Still, freshly ground specialty coffee is very important to us. We always find a way to buy good beans, grind them properly and make coffee the right way. A few months ago, our coffee machine broke down beyond repair and we haven’t found a worthy replacement yet. In the meantime, we’ve learned how to make really good coffee with a Moka pot. We also use a French press and when summer comes, we love a good cold brew — a real one, meaning about 700–800 ml a day!
Luckily, part of our job involves visiting local coffee spots and roasteries and there are some great cafés in our neighbourhood too. So we haven’t had to give up coffee made on a proper machine. We’ll definitely make time to replace our home machine soon, so we’ll have enough fuel to get us through the end-of-year rush.
AK How did you become part of the Into community? Can you recall your first Into moment?
MM The Makers’ Market is the key point for our local art-business. It’s part of our regular routine, as it’s where we meet our customers and connect with the local artist community. We feel completely at home here.
At the beginning, though, one thing was missing: specialty coffee. Back then, we bought our household coffee from Bagira Roastery in Kőbánya. Ádám, the owner, told us that a new coffee team would be at the next market and that it was worth trying — they brew really good coffee.
So the following Sunday at Makers’, we made sure to be among the first in line to taste our first Into coffee. We started a conversation, and it quickly became clear that we shared similar thoughts about coffee, design and lifestyle. And when you just click with someone right away, you keep them in your heart forever.
AK You don’t just enjoy Into coffee at Makers’ Market, you also prepare your daily dose at home. How does this relate to sustainable coffee consumption, if at all? And what does sustainable consumption mean to you, whether in terms of coffee or material culture?
MM At the moment, we get our daily coffee from a local zero-waste shop just a few meters from our home. Luckily, specialty coffee beans can be bought by weight, making it a plastic-free option as well. The shop sells ethically sourced coffee from a local, Hungarian roastery.
Beyond that, we enjoy trying new roasts when we visit local cafés, as mentioned earlier. This way, we can support local businesses we admire and share mutual respect with. Of course, there’s also our monthly trips to Makers’ and Into.
We buy coffee the same way we buy clothes or household items: we want to know who we are buying from, what the product is made of, and how it was made.
AK What would you recommend to an “Into Virgin”?
Do you have any advice for someone who wants to experience the real Into feeling?
MM Without a doubt: come to Makers’! Share your favourite notes with Kitti and Bence and then trust them. Try some filter coffee, too! Let the good music, the designer items, and the usual market atmosphere wash over you. Before you know it, three or four hours will have flown by and you can always enjoy another coffee.
AK It’s really exciting that artists who work with clay also pay such close attention to the quality of the coffee. What do you think about that “sacred connection” between cup, coffee and consumer?
How does it feel when someone drinks their favorite coffee from a cup you’ve made?
MM Without coffee, a cup is just a cup — and without a cup, coffee is simply coffee. But when the two come together, the cup finds its purpose and the coffee becomes more than a drink. It becomes a source of comfort.
In this meeting, the coffee shines and the cup is brought to life. You’re not just holding an object in your hand, but also a piece of the cup-maker, the creator.
This isn’t just our perspective; our customers often tell us the same thing: drinking from a thoughtfully designed cup truly makes the coffee taste better.
AK Which Into coffee or brew is your favorite and why?
MM Since we particularly enjoy acidic, floral and citrusy notes, we always choose Ethiopian beans. The best part of exploring specialty coffee is discovering its subtle notes and for us, these non-typical “coffee-ish” flavors are the ones we go for every time.
AK Is there an Into moment you’ll never forget?
MM At the Christmas Makers’ Market, they surprised us with something special and all the coffees we enjoyed at their stand.
AK If Into were a word or phrase, what would it be?
MM Energy.
AK If the encounter between your ceramics and Into were a feeling, what would it be?
MM Harmony.
Harmony. Energy. Harmonious energy.
This is how we felt meeting Eszter and Luki, immersed in a special flow of conversation. Whether it was a beautifully brewed Ethiopian coffee or a piece of marēk ceramics, both reflect the same qualities we seek: attention to detail, creation, connection and a harmony of experience.
The Makers’ Market space feels like home for these encounters. Full of memories, returning guests and kind smiles. We thank Eszter and Luki for sharing their story with us and for being part of the community we are building together.