Carving from Belgorod

[HAIIAPHNK]

David, thank you very much for the high appreciation of my efforts. I truly value it.

I won’t try to judge different techniques of execution or say that working with power tools is somehow worse. To me, this is largely a matter of taste—just like opinions about painting or music. Everyone perceives things differently.

Personally, I like it when subtle traces of the knife remain after carving. I deliberately avoid heavy polishing with abrasives after the work is done. I want the faceted quality of the surface to stay visible. Of course, when I apply oil to the sculpture, it inevitably makes its own adjustments: it softens the edges and adds a certain roundness. As a result, some of the sharpness is lost and the forms become gentler.

Sometimes that works in favor of the piece, and sometimes it doesn’t.

I also know very well that I will never achieve the same results as those who work extensively with power tools. What I do will inevitably look rougher compared to their work.

But perhaps that’s a good thing. It’s good that there are many different tools and approaches, allowing people to reach results through different methods.