When Wood Speaks: Heritage, Skills, and Creativity in the Spirit of CULTURALITY
Artisan Janez Jankovec presents his work in Polhov Gradec
Janez Jankovec, one of the makers involved in the Culturality project and a member of the Handicrafts Centre Škofja Loka, is an amateur carpenter who finds poetry in wood. In the curves, knots, and colors of his material, he sees stories waiting to be told. Through his skills and sensitivity to nature, he helps ancient trees express their character and brings them closer to people in the form of unique, functional products.
In November 2025, he was a guest at the social evening Citizens Introduce Themselves in Polhov Gradec, where he shared his views on wood, creativity, and craftsmanship. As part of the event, he also presented a video (bellow) showing the process of creating a wooden cup, offering insight into the patience, precision, and respect for material that define his work. “Nature surprises us again and again. Wood is a natural material, with different shapes, structures, colors, scents … It is precisely because of its diversity and magic that it attracted me to create unique natural products.”
Janez Jankovec’s work demonstrates that handicrafts are not merely about preserving tradition, but about keeping it alive through creativity and sustainable practices. This event reflected the core values of the Culturality project, which connects makers, local communities, and cultural heritage within a contemporary European context.
Text and photography: Barbara Ivančič Kutin
Video: Martin Fettich
