Today, the line between art and craft is increasingly invisible. With the advancement of technology, craftsmen become increasingly inventive and take an innovative approach to their craft work. It is the innovation in the work that maintains the spirit and interest in the profession of one of the most skilled masters of wrought iron in Sofia - Mihail Kochev.

"The talent of the craftsmen has been highly valued in Bulgaria for a long time", the master shared some time ago in an interview for Radio Bulgaria. He and his fellow craftsmen in Bulgaria honour St. Spyridon the Wonderworker as their heavenly patron. According to the legends, the saint himself practiced shoemaking in the 4^th century, that’s why today is the holiday of shoemakers, blacksmiths, carpenters, etc.

"Being a craftsman means working on what is actually my hobby," says blacksmith Mihail Kochev, whose hands sculpt women's jewelry or a souvenir dagger with equal ease. "Crafts will exist as long as there are people dedicated to them," the Mihail believes. Listen to his story about the path of craftsmanship in the modern world and how he himself unravels a complex, ancient technology for making souvenir knives, in the publication from Radio Bulgaria’s Best collection.

Edited by Gergana Mancheva