WATERLOO - The large relief carving hangs in plain sight for anyone entering through the main door of 3720 Village Place to enjoy.

The work, depicting Leonardo da Vinci's "Last Supper," started as a 260-pound piece of Tennessee basswood just over six months ago. Since then, Bob Steffa, 89, has logged countless hours in a personal wood crafting studio set up for him by the administrators at his Friendship Village home.

The assisted living facility has a designated wood shop for its residents, but the artwork, commissioned by Velda Phillips, an administrator at Friendship Village, was too large for the space, said Christy Kessens, the community life coordinator. It measures about 5 1/2 feet by 3 1/4 feet.

Kessens said in addition to finding Steffa's work "beautiful," the staff at Friendship Village also strive to make the common building areas more home-like for the residents.

"These things give the place personality," she said. "It's about bringing our residents' lives into this area, so it isn't just Friendship Village decorations, but it's the people who live here."

Steffa first took up wood carving in the early '60s to relieve stress as he worked tirelessly to rebuild a Richelieu Foods plant in Grundy Center. But it wasn't until he moved to Tennessee and joined a large carving organization that he was able to hone his skills. The students supplied many items for the annual wood carving events in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg supported by Dollywood.

He completed another "Last Supper" carving while living in Tennessee and said the work is his way of giving back for all of the "wonderful blessings" in his life. His wife, Dorothy, died just two weeks before the first creation was completed. They were married 67 years.

Steffa admits he hesitated about undertaking a project of this magnitude for a second time, but in the end he relented. With the help of a few talented wood-working friends, he used a plunge router to begin shaping the large basswood slab into a piece of artwork. He then used an enlarged photograph of the famous work to begin chiseling in the men's feet and robes. From there, he moved onto the table, hands and faces.

"It's a lot of measuring. The most difficult part is getting the perspective to make it look like there is a room behind the table," he said. "But, I couldn't have done it without help. Some of these guys here are excellent woodworkers."