Wood Art Therapy to Calm the Soul

An artist friend recently introduced me to wood art therapy. She was distraught by the election results and other things. She needed something creative to help calm the soul. She chose wood therapy as a form of meditation.

Wood therapy can be a form of mental therapy by losing oneself in the creation of something with wood. In the past, I have seen the benefits of working with wood. I lose myself in trying to create something unique. It does not have to be a masterpiece. It is the mental process of creating something with wood. Wood art is also fun to create with kids.

The easiest way to start is with simple things - random pieces of wood like driftwood or forest scraps, some twine, some glue, some wire, maybe some nails, a saw, maybe some rocks or shells, and paint. You don't need woodworking equipment or expertise for this. Simply an open mind to make something, regardless of how it looks. Take the blinders off.

Here are some examples of wood creativity using driftwood:

A great resource for ideas is Pinterest. Just search for driftwood, wood art, etc.

Ok, now that you might want to try, where do you start. First off, you need the wood pieces. Walk the beach to find driftwood, especially if you live in the NW. Walk thru a forest, picking up different types of scrap pieces. After a storm on large lakes like Superior or Michigan, check out the beaches. Look in your garage for old wood. Visit a saw mill to buy some unique wood scraps.

Then look around your house for odd "things": corks, wire, fabric, utensils. These can be incorporated into sculptures. Again, who cares what it looks like. The funkier the better.

Enjoy this simple form of therapy. It costs nothing, just time. Who knows what will evolve from it.

Have a great time. Mother Nature is awaiting your visit.

John Gabrielson

Natural Creations.

AMERICA THE GREAT.