PÉTER CSERHÁTI (Canada)

Péter Cserháti graduated in 1958 from the Fine and Applied Arts School in Budapest with a diploma in decorative wood sculpture. Privately, he worked in painting and sculpting in clay as a member of the Guttenberg and Derkovits art groups as well as attending the summer art school in Zebegény. In 1969 he was granted the distinction of Master Woodcarver and in the same year escaped with his wife from communist Hungary.

They settled in Toronto where he established his own company designing and carving church and residential interiors as well as mass production for furniture companies in traditional and modern styles. Some of these include the iconostasis in the Protection of the Mother of God Ukrainian Catholic Church in Toronto, the Bishop's throne and double icon stand in St. George Greek Orthodox Church of Toronto, the single icon stand, altar table, and sacrament table in Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in London, Ontario, a mihrab shrine in the Albanian mosque in Etobicoke, restoration work in Toronto's Old City Hall, the Hunt residence in King County, the private library of the summer residence of Elliot Lake mining mogul Stephen Roman, and for Sklar Peppler, Continental (presently Woodmark) Furniture, Italcraft (presently Leda) Furniture, Krohler (presently Durham) Furniture, and Kaufman Furniture.

Over his long career, significant woodcarvings have also found their way to destinations outside of Canada, including New York, California, Texas, and Israel. His paintings can be found in collections in North America, Europe, and in the Canadian Embassy permanent collection in Budapest.

“The gift of life is, if we are able to create through our own individuality a thought, a feeling, that delights and lifts the human spirit.”