“Once Upon a Whale... is the story of a piece of wood that one day wakes up as a whale, another day as a freshwater fish, and yet another day, who knows what.”

This is how Claudia Riva begins when we ask her to tell us about her creative recycling project, and from this sentence we immediately understand that we are once again dealing witha craftswoman with a keen sensitivity and immense love for nature.

Claudia's creative recycling project

Claudia's greatest passion is aquatic environments and animals, especially whales, which she reproduces in all shapes and sizes, recovering old pieces of wood abandoned on beaches. She likes to emphasize that the main work is done by the sea and time, while she "merely" recognizes the shapes and brings these materials back to life.

It is a wide-ranging ecological project. Through her work, Claudia not only contributes to creating beautiful objects and decorations from natural materials, but also to improving the appearance of our coastal ecosystem and our beloved sea.

But how much imagination and creativity does it take to see a whale where most people see only an old abandoned wooden plank? How much of this creativity stems from a love of nature, the sea, and even the objects it returns to us after who knows how long spent cradling them in its waves?

The name of the project itself, which echoes the iconic opening phrase of fairy tales ("once upon a time" means "there was once"), seems to express the romanticism with which the artist conceives her work of wood recovery, through which she pays homage to the marine world. But let's let Claudia tell us the rest herself!

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Tell us a little about yourself: how did this passion come about? Where do you draw inspiration for your works?

I am a biologist by training, a farmer by profession, and a creative by passion. I carve stories out of forgotten wooden planks, drawing inspiration from that cycle of nature that should never be broken, where animals feel wonder and curiosity, to quote Darwin.

Every creative person, every artist (although I am always afraid and reverent to use this term), seeks inspiration where they perhaps feel most comfortable. For me, that "where" is water, aquatic environments in general. This is, in fact, the environment in which I best recognize myself.

I was born and raised in On the shores of Lake Como, I graduated in Biological Sciences from the University of Milan with a thesis on fish fauna and, after various work experiences in this sector, I moved to the hills of Siena, where I runthe familyfarm. Here, there is no shortage of space, and I have the opportunity to accumulate the materials I use for my creations. With an artistic eye, I have thus reinterpreted my training.

What materials do you use for your works? Where do you find them?

The main material is wood, old wood with a history, wood that already has its own patina given by time. Whales, sperm whales, but also all other animals, are already drawn in the wood; mine is only the ability to read the knots in the wood that often open up to the eyes, or its cracks and veins that outline open mouths or wounds. Sperm whales often bear inscriptions on their skin, stories of struggle, and in the same way, the scratches on an old plank become the perfect marks for my whales to come to life.

When it is not the natural knots in the wood that open up to the gaze, old bolts or rusty nails come to the rescue, in short, once again forgotten objects that take on and "restore" life. It is the gaze of the carved animals that requires the most effort on my part; it is when I find its eye that a whale or a small freshwater fish is born.

There is no beach vacation for me and my family that is not a search for material, a sort of treasure hunt, which always leads to great satisfaction, like the summers spent along the wild beaches of southern Greece, which are always rich in materials returned by the sea. Boards smoothed by the waves and burnt by the sun become cetaceans of all shapes and sizes, and fishing net floats often give them expressive eyes.

What characteristics must wood have to inspire you in your creations? What tools do you use to work with it? Wood?

This ecological aspect, of giving new life to objects that would otherwise be forgotten, is what I enjoy and find stimulating. Nothing is destroyed, everything should be transformed. Wooden planks, old doors, rusty bolts are all I need. I add very little; often, the sea and time do all the work.

I draw the animals freehand directly onto the board with white chalk, cut them out with a jigsaw, and then smooth them with an electric sander to soften their contours.

The theme of creative recycling is arousing increasing interest among those who are sensitive to environmental issues. Could you give us some practical ideas on how to create something artistic from a small piece of wood?

It's easy to make something out of recycled wood; the trick is to train your eye and cultivate your imagination. You can often find rounded, smooth pieces of wood on the beach, which, with a little imagination, some floats, and recycled fishing net cord, can be turned into objects to hang up. If you're lucky and the shapes resemble stylized fish, then nature's circle is complete.

Let yourself be inspired!

Claudia's words have deeply inspired us, and we can already imagine ourselves walking on the beach in search of small wooden treasures that go unnoticed by distracted eyes. Perhaps early in the morning, or on a cloudy day, wearing our relaxed fit pants or overalls, perfect with all their pockets to hold whatever we find! I bet that if you enjoyed reading about this project, you too will never look at a piece of abandoned wood in the same way again!

And so we would like to say goodbye to you before the holidays. We hope that you will look around you with curiosity and wonder, and we wish that, wherever you spend these days of rest and recharging, the nature that surrounds you will allow your creativity and imagination to ride the wave of inspiration of the moment.

Happy holidays and happy creativity to all!

See you in September with new ideas and new projects!

Photo by Claudia Riva @laclaintuscany

If you also have a creative project and would like to share it with us, write to laura@laurelsapron.com

To see Claudia's works, visit https://www.facebook.com/claudiariva74/photos