Hand carved, my wooden whales are tactile and painted in realistic colours.
David uses local sustainable wood chosen for its lightness and smooth finish, transforming the blocks of wood into simple but instantly recognisable whales, using as few cuts as possible before refining the shape and finishing these whales off with mirror finish paintwork. “It’s all about economy of design,” he says.
Originally trained as a painter, David worked as an art teacher in East London, where he was inspired by the Bangladeshi refugee children he encountered there,
“They taught me about simplicity of design, strength of colour and fluidity of brush strokes.”
Animals and other toys may also be commissioned. Cats, Dogs, Whales and Ponies are particular specialities.
“I made my first handmade Wooden Ark when my daughter was small, and the one-off became a life’s work.” To read more click here…
Handmade wooden toys made from locally sourced materials in Devon. Individually designed and handcrafted. Unique Noah’s Arks in wood, made in the UK.
Many customers build up their sets over a period of time. Usually they start with an Ark and I post them a pair of animals each month.
“…when modelling a wooden toy, special attention is giving to the animal’s faces, to give them a real sense of character. What makes me happiest is all the correspondence I receive from parents saying how much their children love playing with my toys.”
David Plagerson Handcrafted Noah’s Arks
The Whale and Jonah
The story of a man trapped in a whale: In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus makes a reference to Jonah when he is asked for a miraculous sign by the Pharisees and teachers of the Law. Jesus says that the sign will be the sign of Jonah. Jesus implies that Jonah’s restoration after three days inside the great whale prefigures His own resurrection.