My Creed

’’In the world I was borned the day started and ended with prayer and with the peal of bells.
8-10-12 children meant the wealth of families. From the age of 5 till the oldest everyone’s role was indispensable. During the weekdays everybody was working with strength and diligence as a feast has always followed. There were always huge preparations before a feast. People cleaned their soul, their life, their house, their stable, their pigsty, their garden, they forgave, they calmed down, they went to the mass in their best celebrating dresses and they visited each other in the afternoon. The feasts were spent in a lot of happiness and joy, they could create everything for themselves, as a result they never became anyone’s servant. They knew the way of the world works as, the sun, the moon, the stars, the weather and their deep belief provided them guidance. They did not do whatever and they did not say whatever.

I grew up among anonymous Saints who, sorrounded by their host of children, could weave, could spin, could beautifully embroider, while singing and could make the awkward world and hard times enchanting. With fast and prayer, with the power of Virgin Mary they kept back the physical and spiritual troubles. I would like to present their image as an example to the world."

Mária Petrás

1975-1978 People’s Art Academy of Brassó – branch of graphic art
1991-1995 Hungarian College of Applied Arts
1995-1997 Master degree of Applied Arts at Hungarian College of Applied Arts

2006 Jenő Szervátiusz Award
2006 Award for Hungarian Art

More then 170 exhibitions all over the world, such as: Brussels, Graz, Toronto, Padova, Aosta, Vittorio Venetto, Este, Santa Agata de Feltria, Scecin, etc.

Christ on Cross (1998 Franciscan Monastery of Déva)
Kájoni’s relief and Arms of village (1998 Jegenye)
Lamb of God, Saint John the Baptist, Arms of village (1998 Bükkzsérc)
Meeting of Bem and János Czecz (1998 Csucsa)
Lamb of God and Arms of village (1998 Krémer)
Szent István and Arms of village (1998 Epöl)
II. Rákóczi Ferenc and Arms of village (1998 Kőrösfő)
Vasvári Pál and Arms of village (1998 Magyarvalkó)
Our Lady of Hungary (2000 Budapest)
The Stations of the Cross (2000 Sitke)
The Stations of the Cross (2000 Százhalombatta, Szent István church)
Nursing Madonna (2001 Budapest, Semmelweis University, I. Dept. of Pediatrics)
The Stations of the Cross (2001 Szár)
Csángó Madonna (2002 Budapest, Semmelweis University, I. Dept. of Internal Medicine)
Crucifix (2003 Magyarfalu)
Pieta (2005 Budapest Chapel of National Institute of Oncology)
Mary Clothed with the Sun (2005 Budapest, Befogadás Háza MMSz)
Queen of Peace (2005 Külsőrekecsin)
Csángó Madonna (2006 Viszántya)
Saint John of Nepomuk (2006 Szigetköz Church)
Pieta (2008 Budapest, Semmelweis University, II. Dept. of Internal Medicine)

Italian Society of Catholic Artists 

"The artworks related to the New Testament, in connection primarily to Virgin Mary, are attached to one of the particular carrier of the catholic belief, to the Csángós (hungarian natives of Moldova).
In the middle of the artist’s, coming from this place but living already in Hungary, aesthetic activity stands the world with uninjured, pure belief typical to this society.
Maria Petrás, from the hard and harsh fire-clay, moulds those statuettes full of gentleness and sentiment in which she appears not only as a mother and as a symbol of religion but also as an example of the unique value carrier and universal human."

B. K., December 29, 2008 (bama.hu)