As part of the For-Flag Festival, Jakšić Gallery organised a workshop for children dedicated to stone and stone working. The workshop was led by our designer Ida Stipčić Jakšić, our painter Dina Jakšić Pavasović, and Frances Tomičić. The aim of the workshop was to introduce children to a material that surrounds them in everyday life and holds a special place in the identity of the island of Brač. Stone is one of its most important resources. And a foundation of its history, architecture, and local culture.
The children had the opportunity to get to know white Brač stone through direct contact and hands-on work. They explored its structure, weight, and surface. They felt the difference between raw stone and a finished form. Such contact with the material helps develop an understanding of the space in which they live. And it strengthens awareness of the value of local resources. Through touch, the sound of tools, and mechanical processing, stone becomes familiar and accessible.
Each child received a slab of white Brač stone on which they drew their own motif. With professional guidance, the idea was then transferred into stone. The form was shaped using a small stone-processing machine adapted for work with children. The children actively participated in all stages of the process. From the first sketch. To the final form and finishing.
At the fair, we presented a stone-cutting machine, a stone-drilling machine, and various hand tools for grinding and finishing stone. The children were introduced to the complete stone-working process. They understood how much precision, patience, and care each step requires. Such experience encourages respect for work. And for the material itself.
The For-Flag Festival is held every year with the aim of promoting sustainable development. The festival presents valuable development projects from the island of Brač to the local community. These include projects organised or financed by FLAG. As well as local producers developing high-quality and innovative products. Special emphasis is placed on the sustainable use of local resources, knowledge, and skills.
This was not the first time that Jakšić Gallery and our workshop participated in this important event. Over the years, we have been involved in different ways. In the first year, our painter Dina Jakšić Pavasović was invited as a guest to a round-table discussion on examples of good practice. The following year, the entire gallery participated as an exhibitor and an example of good practice. The year after that, we were presented as authors of a project financed by FLAG. Among the presented projects were stone planters made for the Municipality of Sutivan, designed by our painter, and a monument to the Brač innovator Mario Puratić, created by our sculptor Lovre Jakšić. Continuous participation confirms our strong connection to the local community and our long-term commitment to the sustainable development of the island.
Through workshops, projects, and public participation, Jakšić Gallery actively transfers knowledge about stone and its processing. Especially to younger generations. Such programmes connect tradition with a contemporary approach. And they create the foundations for a responsible relationship with material, space, and community.
The stone workshop for children is not just education. It is an investment in the future. And an example of how local heritage can be passed on in a sustainable and contemporary way.
