Floating Wood Creations

My name is Gilles Giasson, I am the creator and artist of Floating Wood Creations. I began this endeavour as an outlet for my creativity and artistic expressions using driftwood, which I collect along the rivers and the ocean nearby, and on my travels. Previously I worked at a high stress job for 32 years for the federal government in Corrections Canada as a Correctional Officer. Unfortunately over the years I developed PTSD from all the trauma associated with working in a high risk, high stress job. After retiring from Corrections a few years ago, I needed an avenue to release some of the stress and anxiety. I discovered I always was able to calm myself by walking along the rivers and ocean looking at all the different shapes of driftwood. I thought to myself, “this would be a great way to express my creativity and a way to keep busy”. I would bringing the most interesting pieces of driftwood home. When working in my studio, I found it would calm my thoughts and anxiety by looking into the wood to see what I could create. Sometimes it was obvious what the piece should be, sometimes I just let it happen. My creative outlet became “Floating Wood Creations”. Over the years I have created many, many pieces of driftwood sculptures, lamps, wall hangings, birdhouses and mobiles. I would integrate some sea shells collected on the ocean. Most recently I started another hobby, lapidary, the collecting and polishing of stones. I’ve started to integrate the polished stones into my driftwood art. So now I collect the driftwood, stones and and sometimes shells on my long walks and have amassed quite a collection of items to work with. These hobbies help keep me grounded, get me out into nature to soothe my soul, and bring me calm by working in solitude in my studio. It is my hope that my natural creations bring people joy and a connection with the beauty of what nature shares with us. Gilles Giasson
Floating Wood Creations