Yana Karnaukhova: Ilya, please share the inspiring story of the creation of the ZARETSKY woodwork carpentry workshop?
What motivated you to go on this journey?

Ilya Zaretsky: All my experience led me to a place where dancing was around a tree, but I didn’t have the courage to start creating. When I allowed myself to do what I wanted, relaxed something, stopped doing things that did not resonate with the inner center, then the animals came to this place.

YK: What emphasis do you place on design in the woodworking process?
Do you sketch or plan your projects in advance, or do you prefer a more intuitive approach?

IZ: It is almost always intuition and a conversation with the blank. Everyone wants to express themselves in their own unique way.

YK: Your products have a certain animalistic shape and you call them “animals”, could you tell us in more detail what this philosophy entails and how it affects your approach to creating wood products?

IZ: I am used to animate the whole world, to see its breath, so animals for me are parts of a newly revived tree. They are the same as other living beings, and they have their own life cycles. It is easier for someone to notice this, for someone they remain just furniture.

YK: Do you have a favorite type of wood that you like to work with the most? What qualities or characteristics of this wood make it your preferred choice?

IZ: Each tree species has its own character and voice. It is always interesting to interact with them.

YK: In a world increasingly dominated by mass-produced goods, what do you think is the importance of handmade craftsmanship?
How does this contribute to a sense of quality, authenticity and connection with the objects we use and cherish?

IZ: The author’s transmission of meaning, light, radiance. This is the uniqueness of the author’s self, his courage to be himself and manifest himself. All this turns into products that seem to come to life, filled with energy.

YK: You describe the tree as a means for heart-to-heart conversations. Can you tell us more about the emotional connection you feel with the tree and how it affects your skill?

IZ: For me, they are the same living beings as everyone else, with their own speed, which is sometimes difficult for us to perceive. It hurts me to see a felled tree, but this is the natural course of life. Therefore, giving fallen trees the opportunity to be reborn is my way of service.

YK: Every product you create seems like a new challenge and an opportunity for growth. Can you tell us about your creative process?

IZ: A new day, a new breath is already growth, and of course new animals are something new every time. In the process of creativity, I strive to separate myself from my personality and surrender to a state where my hands move on their own, intuitively, with their inherent experience.

YK: After you finish working on a piece of wood, there should be moments when you step back and admire your work. Can you share some moments when you reflect on the finished product and feel a sense of pride in what you have created?

IZ: This is the joy of Papa Carlo.

YK: As the founder and creative force of ZARETSKY woodwork, how do you envision the future of your brand? Are there any specific goals or milestones that you hope to achieve in the coming years?

IZ: It is not difficult for me to imagine my business of any size and scale, but I try to remove the desire and let everything just be natural, without creating tension with expectations and not limiting the universe to my dreams.