Welcome to Winged-Woods
A world where myths are carved, dreams take shape, and wood tells ancient stories.
Winged-Woods is a space where nature, folklore, legends, and mythology intertwine. Each piece is a reflection of Linda’s deep love for trees, symbols, and the magical objects found in old tales.
From combs that recall enchanted forests to talismanic pendants and sacred spoons, Winged-Woods invites you to explore a realm shaped by wood and story. Drawing from traditional craftsmanship and inspired by the motifs of Hungarian folk tales, Linda transforms raw timber into carved dreams—each one unique, each one touched by legend.
Browse the collection, discover the stories, and see how Linda relates to them, and step into her world where the forest speaks…
SELKIE BOY – Puppet Project
At the beginning of 2024, I was commissioned by @secondechoensemble to carve a head puppet—a boy who is the offspring of a human and a shapeshifting seal, the child of a man and a selkie. Selkie legends are prevalent along the northern European coasts, including Ireland, Scotland, the Faroe Islands, and Iceland.
The timing of the commission was serendipitous. I was preparing to leave my chosen home in Australia for an extended period, returning to Hungary after eight long years. This journey allowed me to temporarily step away from my everyday roles and routines in the family, reclaiming my selkie skin and immersing myself in the nurturing environment of my homeland. I purchased my plane ticket, including the artist’s fee, and departed.
In selkie folklore, women are often coerced into marriage when a man steals and hides their seal skin, trapping them in human form. These women frequently long for the sea and may eventually find their way back, sometimes with the help of their children, who discover the hidden skin.
This boy, a product of such a union, symbolized the return of my own freedom. In Hungary, I swam in the metaphorical waters of my past, reconnecting with the essence of who I am, much like a selkie reclaiming her place in the sea.
In the beginning, finding the right material for the head was a challenge. Puppetmakers typically use linden wood because it’s easy to carve and has a uniform appearance. However, this time I was looking for something tougher, more weathered, and with distinct character. A walk along the nearby beach led me to the perfect solution—a striking piece of driftwood.
SNAKES
I often find myself whittling with off-cut wood, with an instinctive urge to turn them into snakes.
The precious bog-wood I got gives an extra layer for these magical creatures, as that timber comes from the “underwold” where it petrified over centuries.
For me, snakes are helpers to reach our inner potential; they are conduits between our world and the underworld. They remind me of a Hungarian folktale of a shepherd boy who saves the Snake King’s son from death by fire, and in his thankfulness, the Snake King presents him. He has two choices: either he understands the speech of the animals, or he gets a bag full of money. The boy is thinking it over. Both of the options would be good, but he will not have the opportunity to understand the speech of the animals another time. So he chooses this option. Soon it turns out that he made a good choice, because by overhearing a conversation between two little birds, he comes across a large bowl of money, and thus wealth will be his as well.
Combs
Much of my work draws inspiration from nature, intertwined with my love for magical objects of folktales. For these combs, I chose locally sourced Tasmanian Myrtle Beech, a wood perfect for fine detailing and known for its warm, light reddish-brown hue.
The magical comb that turns into a forest if it is thrown behind the hero/heroine always amazed me as a child. Combs have multilayered symbolism in every tradition; they feature prominently in folktales across various cultures, often symbolising transformation, fate, or hidden powers. There are Russian, Greek, German and Norse examples for the comb that trurns into a forest but the most welknown is the Baba Yaga story: “This time a forest appeared, a dark and dusky forest in which the roots were interwoven, the branches matted together, and the tree-tops touching each other.”
SPOONS
Lots of my spoons feature motifs of the Sky-high Tree/Tree of Life. Crafted from almond and musk wood, they are ideally suited for use in sacred ceremonies.
The Sky-high Tree is one of my favorite themes. As a woodcarver, I have a deep connection with trees and their intricate world. The Sky-high Tree, also referred to as the Tree of Life, World Tree, or Tree without a Top, is a key symbol in Hungarian shamanic beliefs, folk religion, folk art, and fairy tales. It also stands out as a distinct folktale type in its own right. Similar stories appear in Transylvanian, Germanic, Romanian, Romani, Serbian, Croatian, Bulgarian, Turkish, and various Asian cultures. Still, the Hungarian versions are rooted in the traditions of the táltos, a kind of shaman. These shamans are said to climb the Sky-high Tree and journey through seven or nine layers of the sky.
A well-known version of this story features a young swineherd who ascends the tree to rescue a princess held by a dragon.
In some variants, the tree is said to grow from a reindeer or a horse, and its branches bear the Sun and Moon—a theme also found in Uralic and Siberian mythology. The tree may stand upon a world mountain, with its crown in the sky and roots deep in the underworld, a place inhabited by snakes and toads. Birds such as eagles, hawks, and the legendary Turul are often perched in its branches.
Rings
Apple and bogwood timber – CAN BE MADE FOR ORDER (with different timber variations)
Pendants
Lotus Mandala designs
Made from huon pine and myrtle timber, with enamel or gemstone insert – CAN BE MADE FOR ORDER
Hungarian Motives
Bardo Garden 