Falling in Love with Beekeeping: A Profession That Demands Love and Care

When nature and religion meet, you get Macedonia. Whether you are a fan of active tourism, prefer hiking, swimming, or camping, in Macedonia you will surely encounter a religious site during your journey.

Foreign tourists know Macedonia as a religious country with many churches, monasteries, mosques, and numerous other sites that the local population holds in great reverence. Each site has its own story, and alongside the story, skilled artists have lovingly crafted every detail, giving each place its unique soul.

Целивална за Чудотворна икона на Пресвета Богородица, црква Св.Богородица Битола

Today, we introduce you to Jane Krsteski, a man who for years has been creating works that silently tell stories and adorn numerous sites across Europe. Jane is our new local hero who from today joins our list of people making small things of great importance in the development of tourism. Jane was born in Bitola, completed his high school education there, and holds a master’s degree in sculpture from the National Academy of Fine Arts in Sofia.

He tells us that he fell in love with art from a young age. He decided to join several art clubs and participated in many competitions. Jane dedicated himself to wood carving. He has been practicing this art since as far back as 1990. Following in the footsteps of his father, Zlate Krsteski, a longtime former president of the "Association of Wood Carvers of Macedonia," today Jane runs his own wood carving studio called "MAKE," where he creates professional carved works intended for various sites.

Со синот Петар пред иконостасот во „Етно село- Куманово“

"I am an independent woodcarver artist. This status was granted to me by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Macedonia. In September 2014, I installed the iconostasis in the Cathedral Church of the European Diocese – St. Naum of Ohrid in Malmö, a process that took a full two years," he says.

Пред иконостасот во манастир Св. Јоаким Осоговски- Крива Паланка

Proud of his success in Malmö and the fact that many tourists have been impressed by his work, Jane continues to create with full energy. One of his significant works he highlights is the coffin in which the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Macedonia was transferred from the Assembly to the "Museum of the Macedonian Struggle."

Владички трон, Св Богородица, Скопје

His skill has helped him create using various techniques to craft unique wood-carving works. Alongside all this, he is focused on iconostases. So far, he has made 24 iconostases that adorn many churches and monasteries.

Jane adds that the process of creating a wood-carving piece is not simple. It begins with selecting the material, which is most often walnut wood, followed by developing the idea of what will be designed. After preparing the dimensions and the drawing, the rough carving and shaping of the elements start, continuing all the way to the final stages of finishing, which include toning and applying protective coatings.

Фотографија со татко му Злате Крстески со елементи за иконостас за Австралија

He is a member of the presidency of “ZKMAK,” a member of the editorial board of the magazine Kopaničar, and has participated in 62 group exhibitions and 32 woodcarving colonies both in Macedonia and abroad. Through his studio, he has presented 12 solo exhibitions. He publishes his work in the field of woodcarving in the Kopaničar magazine, and in 2002 he published the first woodcarving textbook in Macedonia.

Currently, he is working on four projects: the iconostasis for the Macedonian Orthodox Church “St. Cyril and Methodius” in Dortmund, Germany; an iconostasis in the monastery of St. Transfiguration in Zrze; an iconostasis in St. Stefan Church in the village of Gneotino, Bitola region; and complete church furniture for St. Nicholas Church in Kruševo.

You can contact him at his phone number or via email at [email protected].