A self-taught woodcarver embarks on the path of his dreams. Year after year he recreates the images that fill his imagination, racing against the fastest adversary - time. But one day, as he sits down to contemplate his creation, his mortality betrays him.

Marin Petkov spent his life in his native village of Malak Porovets, near Isperih. His work as a deliveryman took him to the settlements of the sub-Balkans, where he was captivated by the beauty of the Bulgarian Revival houses. 

The artistry of the woodcarvers of yore who adorned these homes sparked a lifelong passion. For the last 16 years of his life, he used his God-given skills to transform his home into a masterpiece, a tribute to the art of the Revival-era craftsmen.

"He was a simple man who spent his whole life in a small, beautiful village," says Elena Simeonova, the landlady of the house. "But he was also a man with a vivid imagination, a huge heart, and two golden hands. He admired the work of the great master carvers of the Bulgarian National Revival. His original carpentry certificate from 1948 is on display in the Woodcarving House, as he was also a furniture maker. As for woodcarving, he was a self-taught, yet highly knowledgeable man, never overly confident to claim he could do anything. He spent many years preparing, which is why nothing in the house is accidental - everything is the result of perfect logic and discipline."

Master Marin decorated all the furniture, cornices, ceilings and porches of his house with carved wood. On the outside of the windows he placed a model of the Shipka monument. On the gate he inscribed the words 'A home open to all who wish to visit', as he saw his carvings as a gift for others to enjoy. He also left a legacy in the form of a replica of Zahari Zograf's mural The Wheel of Life.