The first time I decided to go out with my uncle looking for some driftwood was not as easy as I thought while closing the house door. I can still remember it was in January in the early afternoon.

Once there, I got in mind the same place but during the summer season when it looks so noisy, full of umbrellas and inflatables. In front of me then I could see just an isolated sandy beach. Wherever there were trunks, large stones and an overall smaller space than I could remember. In winter storms waves are so long that they halve the depth of the entire beach, but it is also true that the erosion of the coasts is visible without technical tools. In short, I got lost in my environmental thoughts when, after listening to my name, I turned back to look at my uncle’s bag. It was full. I looked at mine. It was empty. Wisely he suggested swapping our shopping bags so he could gather two or three more driftwood before going back home.

Later, he made a more accurate selection of wood. Those which were discarded would rather go into the stove, others would stand aside for a while to check they would not have “disagreeable guests”. It would be a pity to make a wooden mobile and then find out to burn it into the stove! After “quarantine” those will be used to create fish mobiles. It depends on the length of a single branch how big and high will become a wall decor. 

Regarding other wooden decor and magnets as fish, butterflies, swans, geckos so on are made of fir that is sold in boards of different sizes and thickness in carpentry stores. On each board (approx size is 28″x 40″) first he draws the contours shaped with the template, trying to leave as little scrap as possible (which will eventually only end up on the stove) and then starts to carve. The following step is smoothing. The latest phase is painting while listening to the radio.

During winter months as of February and March, his whole apartment is full of boards where literally lie all these “creatures”. 

Fish mobiles follow a different process. Usually, their eyes are painted one part at a time if not color of the iris would be mixed with the white of the pupil. All wooden decors are painted first of color on both sides, but on magnets and wall decors finishing is made on one side only.  Once the paint has dried, drilling is the following step so then every part is ready and he can make mobiles.

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