Fred Zavadil

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About OWCA

Fred Zavadil – The woodcarver who almost wasn’t

By Sharon Brooker

On July 20, 2007 I had the honour to meet with two extremely nice and warm people, Fred and Hana Zavadil.

For those of you who do not know Fred – he is an amazing Master Carver. He grew up in the former Czechoslovakia and came to Canada with his wife Hana in August, 1989 for political reasons, just before the “Velvet” Revolution when the country’s politics changed from Socialism to Democracy. If he had stayed just three more months, he would not have had reason to leave his homeland and come to Canada, and probably would never have become a wood carver.

Fred was very artistic as a child. He liked to draw and play with Playdough but he was never encouraged to pursue his artistic abilities. His art education consisted of a few drawing classes for children and one sculpting course at the Ontario College of Art in Toronto.

He started carving in 1992 after visiting a friend who showed him some of his carvings. Fred just thought that he would like to try so he signed up for a Toronto Board of Education night class, took a beginners wood carving class and learned how to hold the chisels and made his first attempts to carve. His first carving, which still sits on a table at home, is a wonderfully carved horse. After that course, he taught himself. In the years that followed, Fred worked hard on improving his abilities, won several Best of Shows at different competitions and established himself as a good artist and woodcarver.

In the year 2000, Fred was offered a job as a sculptor/woodcarver for a company located in Kitchener that specializes in church art. Hana and Fred moved there. It was a great opportunity for him to learn and do things he would not otherwise be able to try. It was there that he learned the technique he uses now to model his work before he carves it. Fred worked for this company for two and one-half years and then decided to venture out on his own.

It took quite a while and a lot of hard work before the commissions started coming in – mostly through word of mouth and referrals from former clients. The time that he had before the business picked up was well spent – it allowed him to further develop and improve his style and sculpting/woodcarving abilities. Fred managed to create several real masterpieces, which he otherwise would not have had time to carve. Now he mostly gets commissions for Church sculptures. He works in several different media including wood, resin and bronze.

Fred’s masterpieces, which we have been fortunate enough to see and sometimes to touch, are the ones that he does for himself. As you can understand, it is no wonder that he works so hard. When I arrived in Kitchener, I went to their apartment for tea. Fred had gone to the shop to work – no time for tea and a gab with his wife and me. While I sat and chatted with Hana at their dining room table (on which some of the first carvings were made) I gleefully admired the many wondrous carvings that were spread all over the rooms. It was like being in the middle of a beautiful art gallery and having a one person showing.

Hana told me a story about the first time Fred tried to enter one of his carvings in the 1996 OWCA competition. He left the large three-panel carving in the car while he went in to register and asked that the carving go into the “Open” category. He was told that it should go into the “Novice” category since he had never competed before. Fred disagreed and was upgraded to the “Intermediate”. He still disagreed and brought the carving in; there was no more arguing, it was entered into the “Open” category and went on to win “Best of Show”.

The following year he won “Best of Show” again with his carving named “Icarus”.

Fred’s next big project will be for a Church named Church of St. Louis, King of France, in St. Paul, Minnesota. It is estimated that it will take anywhere from a year to a year and one-half. I saw the drawings that Fred made and I am sure that once the project is completed it might be a big draw to bring in new parishioners to the Church. You might be able to see the work in the future in Fred’s portfolio.

After tea, I had the honour and pleasure to be able to go with Hana to see Fred’s studio. I couldn’t wait to see the place where Fred created his masterpieces. I expected to see a studio full of wood, tools, tables, open shelving, etc. Instead I was so surprised to see a large “L”-shaped room that was neat and clean, with only the things absolutely necessary to work with being out of place.


		As mentioned before, Fred starts his carvings by making a clay model. Then, when the model is absolutely perfect, he makes the same thing out of wood. In the larger part of the shop there is a very large table saw, a very large easel, some wood, a few cupboards, a shelf and his work area which consists of two stands, one with the initial clay sculpture on it and the other with the almost-completed wood sculpture. Beside Fred’s wood carving are the only chisels and gouges that he uses to do his beautiful work. The “L” part of his shop is full of old clay models. He sometimes keeps them after the project is completed and hopes to possibly have them cast in bronze in the future. It was a breath-taking experience.

	Another beautiful type of art that I saw at Fred’s home were tapestries. They were made from fabric with some parts painted. Fred made the designs, often inspired by Czech painter, Alfons Mucha; Hana and her friend, Bozena, selected the colours and glued, sewed them together. The women’s head, neck and shoulders were painted on fabric by Fred. They are stunning.

After the tour, the three of us went out for dinner. During the pleasant conversation, one thing that Fred said really struck me as true. “It is so unfortunate that people still think of woodcarving as a craft – and not as art, as it should be.”

Thank you so much, Fred and Hana, for your wonderful hospitality and friendship. I feel so blessed to have been able to spend that glorious day with you.


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