The Stonemasons of Pučišća, Croatia

Ideas from the stonemason school on the Croatian island of Brač could be useful in solving unemployment problems around the world.

A beam of afternoon sun, shaped and compressed by the edges of the carved limestone window it passed through, illuminated the workshop in a soft white glow. A thin shroud of stone dust hung in the air.

This was the Klesarska Škola, a stonemason school on the Croatian island of Brač, and Tricia and I had stopped by to learn more about it.

In the workshop, several young men chiseled, sawed, and hammered away at limestone blocks that had been quarried only a few kilometers away. They had traveled far and wide to study a craft that is increasingly rare in an industrialized world.

From famous monuments and parliament buildings in Europe to parts of the American White House, the limestone from this Adriatic island has made its way into works of art around the world.

Entrepreneurial Artisans

While many entrepreneurs in the future will create jobs with 3D printing and robotic manufacturing, a few innovators may find success in creating products that are literally one-of-a-kind. In a world of increasing automation and mass-production, the secret to solving a future unemployment crisis driven by technology may be high-quality, hand-crafted products like those being produced in Pučišća.

I created the following video to showcase the incredible work the stonemasons on Brač are producing. Please feel free to let me know what you think in the comments!

For more information

  • For a more in-depth look at this experience, have a gander at Tricia’s article.
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Comments

2 responses to “The Stonemasons of Pučišća, Croatia”

  1. What a beautiful place to learn the art of stone cutting, thank you for your amazing video, Shawn and Tricia

    1. Thank you Cornelia! I’m hoping that they will give workshops to tourists in the future so that we can catch a better glimpse of what it’s like to be a stonemason. Although, I suspect my creations would lack any definite shape, earning the title of ‘abstract art’. 🙂 Hope you are well!

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