Animated Wood Carving Display 


Woodcarving
Click on picture for larger image
In September 2002, Slovak Folk Crafts commissioned three skillful woodcarvers in Slovakia to design and build this unique, animated woodcarving display. Completed in May 2005, it took 2½ years -- six months for each of five sections -- to complete this display. After thorough testing, each section was crated, placed in a container in Prešov, Slovakia and then traveled by land and sea to western Pennsylvania. Carved from basswood, this unique work-of-art is 17 ft. wide x 8 ft. tall x 6 ft. deep and has 82 life-like moving figures. The scenes depict folk life as it has existed in Slovakia for hundreds of years with a large manger scene as the focal point. Six windshield wiper motors for Volvo trucks provide the power for the animation. There are openings behind the display enclosure for those who want to see how the animation is done. This display is believed to be the largest animated woodcarving in the United States and perhaps in all of North America. Come and see it at Slovak Folk Crafts, 1605 S. Center St. in Grove City, PA. For store hours and directions, click here.

Pictured at the right are the three men creating this beautiful, animated woodcarving display. Master Jozef Pekara designed and built a larger display that he started when he retired. When he completed it 15 years later, he donated it to his local parish saying, "This is for my Lord." It is on display in the little village of Rajecká Lesná in northwestern Slovakia.

In September 2002, at age 81, Master Jozef Pekara agreed to design this second display, provide the animation and direct the other two woodcarvers. Many scenes from his first display are included in this one and several new scenes were added as well. He passed away on April 4, 2005, just six weeks after the final section of this woodcarving display was completed.
3 carvers

List of Scenes
in Animated Wood Carving
  1. Devin Castle near Bratislava
  2. Bratislava Castle overlooking Danube
  3. Castle of Trencín - known since 1111
  4. Nitra Cathedral - site of first Christian church in Slovakia (828 AD)
  5. Bojnice Castle - beautifully restored
  6. Krivan peak in Tatra Mountains
  7. Spišska Kapitula - a walled city
  8. Spiš Castle - largest in central Europe
  9. St. Nicolas Cathedral in Prešov
  10. Cathedral of St. Elizabeth in Košice
  11. St. Egidius Cathedral in Bardejov
  12. Pieštany - popular health spa town
  13. Making wine in Pezinok
  14. Ceramics production in Modra
  15. Blacksmiths shoeing a horse
  16. Svätý Križ (Holy Cross) - one of only a few Protestant wooden churches left in Slovakia
  17. Musicians and dancers in Terchová
  18. Carpenters, coopers and shoemakers
  1. Shepherd, sheep and dog
  2. Koliba (shepherd's cabin) - HELP! The bear just captured one of the sheep!
  3. Manger scene - notice the boy giving his most precious possession to Jesus
  4. Digging potatoes and rocking a baby
  5. Cutting and raking hay
  6. Lumber processing in Košice region
  7. Sawmill and two sawyers
  8. Linen processing from flax to weaving
  9. Miners - gold, silver and opel
  10. Plowing a field with oxen
  11. Hauling lumber with a horse
  12. Loading hay on horse-drawn wagon
  13. Man getting a drink of water
  14. Boy riding a rocking horse
  15. Woman making butter with a churn
  16. Sprinkling Day and "whipping" of girls
  17. Man ringing church bell

Click here to see more photos plus a three-part video of this display and
a link to Master Jozef's original, animated woodcarving display in Slovakia.

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