Presenting Franyo Ruzec

I first met Franyo about two years ago while he was working on one of his artistic creations in his garage. I got interested in what he was doing and decided to take some photos of the model he was building then and those he has built since. Franyo originally moved with his family to Burghausen in 1972 and worked as a welder and painter until retiring 3 years ago. He started building Christmas decorations and manger scenes more than 20 years ago, and since his retirement has become even more active in his hobby. To date, he has created over 20 objects which usually are given to relatives and friends as gifts. Franyo uses all kinds of materials in his creations; wood and plywood, vegetable elements (mushrooms, leaves, etc.), plaster, epoxy resins and fiberglass and a bunch of other stuff. The figures he usually buys finished and ready to place in the scenes. Some of his manger scenes are technically quite simple with only a few lights and moving parts, while others have a variety of lights, flowing streams with waterwheels. His last model even has an animal roasting on a spit and a remote controlled Christmas musical program. Franyo is my neighbor and I have had the pleasure of watching him build things in his garage for the last three years. These photos are of the 4 decorative objects he realized in that period.

Season’s Greetings to Franyo and Family