Wood | https://www.artterrastudio.com

10″W x 22″H – Oakwood – 1973
We, my wife & I, were waiting in West-Germany for the emigration papers to go to Canada when one of my fellow worker – at ‘INA Naderlagen’ at Erlangen – got to know that I was a sculptor. He asked if I could make a pair of angels for their bedroom. I was taken by his approach. I told him that they would not be the ‘standard’ angels but some wood carvings each depicting one angel. One will be the happy angel holding the dove and the other one will be the sad angel presenting the three spikes, representing the beginning and the end. This was my first commission after leaving Hungary. The couple was very happy with my interpretation of the two angels. This photo was taken in their bedroom that is the reason for the poor quality. This was my first commission after leaving Hungary.

Part of an approx. 36″ dia. – 175 years old white ash
This is Melchior, the Persion King, bringing Gold to Jesus.

Part of an approx. 36″ dia. – 175 years old white ash
This is Gaspar, the Indian King, bringing Myrrh to Jesus.

Part of an approx. 36″ dia. – 175 years old white ash
This is Balthazar, the Arabian King, bringing Frankincencse to Jesus.

Approx. 36″ dia. – 175 years old white ash with 24 carat gold on the star.
I think the sculpture say everything I wanted to communicate. Jesus was born as a Jew, so in my thinking the ‘Star of Bethlehem’ had to be a David star.
This old tree was on our front lawn. But as it get to it age with the help of carpenter ants, we had to remove it. I could not cut it up for firewood. So I painted the ends of the fresh cuts and stored it for four years, to let it dry very slowly. Now I have close to 25 slices of this beautiful wood. You can see I have ‘carved-out’ a big project for the rest of my life.

24″ long – Willow bark – 1974

14″ x 18″ – mahogany with 24k gold & pure silver leaves – 2019 **SOLD**

Detail #1 maple frame with cherry, oak, pine & ash inlays

19″W x 36″L x 26″H – Wood Intarsia – 2023

Detail #4 Black Pins with 24k gold & onyx

Detail #2 Designed Pins with 24k gold, pearl & onyx

Detail #3 White Pins with 24k gold & pearls

5″W x 23″H – Willow bark – 1973

16″W x 19″H – Silvermaple – 2015
Somehow Hemingway’s short novel made a strong impression on me. Its simple way to express a lonely man’s thinking process is just hauntingly beautiful. I made a similar image last year in ceramic. That work find a home at England.
And this one find a home at Trinidad!

16″x 21″ – Mahogany – 2019
I’ve found this piece wood at the curbs as part of a tray, thrown away. I could not let it end up at the dumping ground. So I took it home with the aim to crave something into it. That was some years ago.
After thinking what was in this wood Jesus face looked at me. Now here is the result. I put 24k gold and pure silver to enhance the appearance of the work. And … I think Jesus deserves this treatment.

24″ dia. – Birch-wood – 2011 (SOLD)
People are calling a miracle because they ‘see’ Christ face on a toasted bread or in a cross section of a cut three trunk. Now, that is what I saw in this piece of wood, after my wife wanted to throw it away, due to the fact that this wooden tray started to crack. I did not have the heart to burn it, so I was looking at it for a long-long time. After a while Christ face was peering at me.
I just had to chisel the wood away that was hiding his face…
It has ended up in the inner-sanctity of St. James Cathedral

14″W x 60″H – Basswood – 1985
The thirty-eighth day had passed and Nineveh did not collapsed…
Jonah had enough, told to God to ‘ bugger off’…
“I wanted to run but you did not let…
I know you are too good to keep your threat”…
So Jonah asked for his death…

King Lear – The sad King – 18″ H x 3″ W – Willow bark – 2013
Some twenty years ago I collected some willow tree barks. The tree, that was an old specimen- I would say 100+ years old – was pulled down by a big storm. I saw the beauty in those tick barks the faces and movements I could carve into them. I did some of this type of carving back in Europe before I come to Canada. Now that I was cleaned my studio I found these ‘stone dry’ beauties. So the upcoming winter I will carve some of my favorite subjects into these barks. This is the first one and I saw the sad face of King Lear in this. It is quite whimsical due to the given outlay of the bark and you need to use your imagination to tune-on to the feeling.

24″ W x 24″ H x 2″ D – Linden Wood – 1974
I made this work at (than) West-Germany, in the small motel room. We just left Hungary and finally I could buy some wood carving tools… oh… I was in heaven

4″W x 26″H – Willow bark – 2015 (SOLD)
When I was a kid I always liked to listen to old people as they tell their stories. There are so much wisdom could be learned from them. So I got a piece of willow bark as I was thinking of a storyteller and the following sculpture came out of the bark.
And O Yes, that polished stone represents to me the wisdom…

This polished stone represents to me the wisdom…

Approximately 36″ dia. white ash – 2012
This is the same 175 years old three that was standing on our front-yard and due to its illness it had to be cut. Now I have 20 to 25 of these ‘tondros’ (round paintings or sculptures) to be carved. For the next few years I need to ‘bend’ all my sculptures into this shape. With this carving I wanted to show the beauty of the female body.

Approximately 36″ dia. white ash – 2012
This is the same 175 years old three that was standing on our front-yard and due to its illness it had to be cut. Now I have 20 to 25 of these ‘tondos’ (round paintings or sculptures) to be carved. For the next few years I need to ‘bend’ all my sculptures into this shape.
With this carving I wanted to show the beauty of the female body. Also, I had in my mind Leda, the queen of Sparta, waiting for Zeus to continue their affair.

14″W x 66″H X 2″D – Birch-wood – 1977 (SOLD)
I wanted to show the human side of the great leader, Moses. His pain and fury that his people could not wait long enough for his return from meeting with God. Who would not throw the holy tablets at them?
Many people liked this wood carving but took a courageous one to purchase and hang it in their home.

I wanted to show the human side of the great leader, Moses. His pain and fury that his people could not wait long enough for his return from meeting with God.

33” H x 23” W – basswood – 2012
I had this piece of wood in my studio in the last thirty years. I did not know what to carve into it. Now that I am finally a full time sculptor this was my first work I did. The trapezoid form of the board gave the idea of a mother & child as she is feeding the little one. The glories just come by as I was working, so really it is “The Mother & Child”, if you know what I mean.

24″ W x 30″ H – Basswood – 1975 (SOLD)
I do not know why but I feel sometimes like Noah. Not in the terms of his heroic saving of the human race and all the animals, …but I have the feeling of waiting for something to happen,…like he must have done after the ark was completed. He was waiting for the rain… will it really come… and I am waiting … will my time in art come soon enough so that I can see its full appreciation…

10″W x 26″ H – Basswood – 1988
The forty days of rain was over, the dove brought back a leaf.

36″ dia. – white ash – 2022 I wanted to express eternal love. His love for his wife, Euridice is unparallel…

36″ dia. -white ash – 2013
This picture was taken in side lighting to bring out the details of the carving.
I wanted to show the beauty of the female body. This work is based on a sketch I made some 30+ years ago from my dear wife, my love.
As I mentioned before this white ash was on our front yard and I could not chop it up for firewood. This is one of the tondos that resulted.

Pedicure – 36″ dia. – white ash – 2013
I wanted to show the beauty of the female body. This work is based on a sketch I made some 30+ years ago from my dear wife, my love.
This tree trunk is the same 175 years old white ash from our front yard.

22″W x 18″H – Silver maple – 2015 SOLD
Someone was criticizing the composition of this sculpture. “Moses head is blocked by the tablets” and yes, they do.
I agree with it, but my question is; what is more important – the law or the bringer?
Also, I wanted to have the pose when Moses lifts them up and shakes them as he say “THIS IS IT” … follow them!!
This is the same branch that was cut from a 250 years old tree standing at the back of our backyard.

24″ W x 30″ H – Basswood – 1985
Prometheus is the small figure at the background… chained to the mountain because he stole the fire from the Gods and gave it to men.
But do you know who is in the foreground with the bow?

36″ dia. – white ash – 2022 I made this carving with respect to all those doctors and nurses who jeopardized their carrier to express their concerns regarding the C-19 flu treatment. Like Prometheus who paid dearly for his love of man, these brave individuals are today’s Prometheus! This carving is my thank to them.

16″ x 24″ – Silver Maple & 24K gold – 2010 (SOLD)
Who are the Saints? What is the definition of a Saint? Saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness. Yes, one can say that the Catholic Church took monopoly of this word. My definitions more to the point: One who was, or would need to be, recognized for his/her preeminence toward fellow human beings. I strongly feel in the case of John Lennon this dignitary title had been earned due to his pacifist standing and overall love toward humanity. Many-many people were saved from the horror of war by listening his music and not going to war. This is the reason why I carved his Christ like appearance with a golden halo. I call it “St. John – the Dreamer”

14″ x 52″ – red oak – 2015 SOLD
I was 24 years old in 1971 when I finished my university education and started to work at one of the largest engineering firm in Hungary, at Budapest. It was called the ‘Iparterv’ where there were close to one thousand engineer, draftsmen, accountants, project managers etc. I got to know one of my older engineer colleagues very well, whom I love to talk to. He was an intelligent well rounded individual whom I could converse with on many topics. Ones I asked about 1956 ‘counter revolution’. (As you may notice I used the word ‘counter-revolution’ but at that time in Hungary the 1956 up-riser of the people had to be called ‘counter revolution’. One may end up in jail if that heroic action was called ‘revolution’.)
We were still just 15 years from the time when the Hungarians made the USSR move out their occupying forces from Hungary. Yes, the west, and mainly USA gave false hopes to the Hungarian people that they would support our fledging real democracy, but by now you know it was a convenient lie. As it happens today; with the spreading of ‘democracy’ by people in power in the west. After two weeks the revolution was crushed and many thousands fled the country to avoid the terror that followed it. The Russian tanks supported ‘communist’ – and I place this word in quotation marks because they were not communist but opportunist traitors – raining down real terror. Many thousands disappeared and never to be seen after the internal police took them from their loved ones. Some were under aged, so the Kadar government kept them in prison until they reached age of 18 and then sentenced them to death. Awful things!!
But that is not what I wanted to say…
George, my aforementioned colleague, told me how he was ‘pulled in’ by the events of the day 1956 October, 23rd.
He was a young engineer working 8AM to 4PM. He did not know what was going on in the city. He has noticed that the radio was playing classical music without any interruption since 2:30PM but besides that, nothing was different. So when he was leaving the office, which was in central Pest, he has seen hundreds of university students exuberantly marching on the streets. They sang national songs, which were prohibited to sing during the ‘communist’ regime and the thing that pulled him in to join the demonstrators were the flags.
“Attila, you could not believe it – seeing those flags without the communist crescents were like magnets. I had goose bumps. I could not resist joining the demonstrators. I went to the radio station to have the 16 points of our demands to be broadcasted. And you may know the first point was – Russian forces must leave Hungary…”
That was the beginning of our quiet discussion over lunch, which lasted quite a while…
Since then this discussion has stayed with me – now forty some odd years later – and I always wanted to make a sculpture of those flags that started the Hungarian revolution.
Now here is the result. I know it may not say too much to you but for a Hungarian, the cut out crescent means the fight like “David against the Goliath”.
Sorry for my long-windedness but this ‘political’ work even now resonates with me to my very core…

50″H x 28″W x 2″D – Maple Wood – 1982
If I tell you that the horned person is the ‘king of the labyrinth’ would you know the couple on the front? Love will overcome brotherly love… So, who are these three people…??

8 1/2″ x 26″ – oak – 2015

33″ H x 5″ W – Willow bark – 2013
This willow bark carving is also re King Lear as he is lamenting to his Harlequin. Please do not think that I am an expert of Shakespeare, not at all, but the story of King Lear has a great deal of human elements. As you may notice I have to go along the growth of the bark so you have to use your imagination to fully appreciate the picture. I have quite few of these barks so during the winter I can carve indoor.

33″ H x 5″ W – Willow bark – 2013 – Detail #1

33″ H x 5″ W – Willow bark – 2013 – Detail #2

Approx. 38″ dia. – white ash – 2014

18″W x 22″H – Silver maple – 2015
I had this piece of wood a few years. It was cut as a side branch from a 250 years old silver maple at the end of our back yard. During the drying process it developed one sizable crack. So I was wondering what to do with it until I remember that when our kids were small in the early 1990s and we were driving up North to some campsite with our pop-up tent trailer all of us were listening and singing along with Leonard Cohen.
Since the first time I heard him I loved Leonard Cohen music, poetry. So this piece of cracked wood brought Leonard’s very strong poem/song the Anthem in to my mind.
Then I just had to carve away the layers to expose him, as I see him.
I hope you recognize him.

19″W x 22″H – Silver maple – 2015 SOLD
This close to 100 year old branch of a 250 years old tree was cut at our backyard three years ago. I just could not burn this magnificent piece of wood. I was thinking of Noah how he felt after completing the ark.
The job was done ‘so where is the rain’ as he looks up to the sky or rather to the Almighty. That is how I envisaged his state of mind.

4’6″ tall – beaver chewed oak branch – 2019
Some twenty plus years ago I have found this very strong oak branch at the shores of Cyprus Lake. Some beaver chewed of all the bark leaving his teeth marks on the branch. I took it home and took so many years to finally make this walking stick. Yes, pretty soon I will need it. At the top I inserted a bronze door knob and at the end made a copper cover not to let it split up.

4′ tall – bevear chewed popler – 2019
Some years ago I have found this very nice popler branch at the shores of Lake Ontario. Some beaver chewed of all the bark leaving his teeth marks on the branch. I took it to make walking stick out of it. My oldest son loved it so it is with him. At the top I inserted a bronze door knob and at the end made a copper cover not to let it split up.

10″W x 24″ H – Oak Wood – 1977
I think the title says it all…

Approx. 36″ dia. – White ash wood carving – 2012
This 175 years old white ash had to be cut due to carpenter ants. It was dieing. I did not have the hart just make fire wood out of this beautiful tree. So after it was cut I hold back two seven feet chunks of the trunks and waxed the end of the trunks to ensure slow drying. Three years later, now, I have twenty-plus 36″ dia. ‘tondros’ to be carved. This was the second in the line. The Astronomers was the first one. I hope you agree with me it would have been a ‘crime’ to burn it.

Approx. 36″ dia – white ash – 2013
Originally I had Galileo Galilei in my mind as he faced the Grand Inquisition for his heretic thinking in 1633. Under tremendous pressure he withdraws his statement – the Earth moves around the Sun – and then he was kept in house arrest for the rest of his life. An anecdote say that on his death bed he sad: Eppur si muove – And yet it moves.
At the end my depiction was not Galileo but a state of mind when one knows his correctness but to save himself he has to lie.
The place where I come from, a statement that was made as one has his fingers crossed meant that it was not the truth – it was a lie. That is the essence of my carving.

Part of a 36″dia. white ash carving – detail #1

– Detail #2
These crossed fingers are the essence of this message of this carving. If you are forced to lie, cross your fingers.