Ladislav Hedvigi became interested in making wooden toys while spending time with his children. Gradually, he also became involved in creating iconic pieces from Kyjatice. He has been dedicated to the production of Kyjatice toys since 2012. Valuable information about production, shapes, and decoration was obtained from masters Rudolf Stehlík and Anton Oboňa, who had been devoted to making Kyjatice toys for many years. In 2016, he participated in an international competition in Poland, where he received an award in the traditional toy category. That same year, he began collaborating with ÚĽUV thanks to the artist Peter Heriban.

He crafts toys from beech wood using original technological processes without the use of metal fasteners. The toys are decorated with circular carvings using special compasses and a carving knife. The ornament is carved into a surface painted with mordants (mainly in typical blue, red, and brown colors). These techniques were also used by the old masters from Kyjatice. His production program is clear, and he creates Kyjatice products with great precision. When applying patterns, he ensures their precise execution and anchoring in the original designs. The surfaces of the toys, decorated in this way, are subsequently protected with varnish. He regularly presents his products and production demonstrations not only at ÚĽUV events (Craftsmen Days organized by ÚĽUV) but also at regional events (Rontouka, Village Alive, Koliesko), and occasionally on television. In 2018, he participated in an exhibition in cooperation with the Gemer-Malohont Educational Center in Rimavska Sobota. In addition to the mentioned events, he collaborates with the municipal office in Kyjatice, Dobrý kraj (Development Agency of BBSK), and the Gemer-Malohont Museum. In March 2022, he represented Slovakia and the Gemer-Malohont region at the prestigious Expo 2020 event in Dubai. In 2018, he received a grant from the Fund for the Support of Arts, enabling him to produce detailed replicas of over a hundred Kyjatice toys. The models from museums and private collections came from various periods and artists, and Ladislav Hedvigi created an exhibition collection from them, showcasing the technological and artistic development and life of Kyjatice toys to interested school groups and the public. The collection underwent research conducted in collaboration with the ÚĽUV Museum in Stupava. In 2019, he managed to include Kyjatice toy among products with a protected designation of origin. Kyjatice toys were also awarded the mark “Regional Product Gemer-Malohont”. In order to better promote Kyjatice toys, he founded the civic association Kyjatice Toys. In 2021, the association obtained the building of a former school in Kyjatice from the Evangelical Church free of charge. Ladislav Hedvigi’s intention is to establish an exhibition of Kyjatice toys there and create a space for a protected workshop. In 2023, he participated in the Open Studio event of ÚĽUV in producing new patterns of Kyjatice toys based on the designs of an ÚĽUV consultant. This collaboration resulted in a collection of six wooden toys (forest animals) called “Kyjatice Forest”.

All of Ladislav Hedvigi’s activities demonstrate the author’s tenacity and great determination to preserve the craftsmanship, which would be at risk of disappearing without his efforts. As he not only focuses on production but also on promoting this craft, the Kyjatice toy is now well-known to the public.

The manufacturer’s story was published in the second issue of the magazine Remeslo, umenie, dizajn in 2021.

In 2022, he received the title of Master of Folk Artistic Production in the field of Kyjatice toy production.