VICTORIA -- Nelson is preparing for Christmas by blowing up dozens of surgical gloves. "It's so hard," he smiles, before taking another big breath. 

Eventually Nelson pulls out his bicycle pump. "It's [still] tiring," he laughs. "But it's worthwhile!"

Nelson says the story behind this project began a few years ago, when he first moved from the hot, humid Philippines, to sub-zero Edmonton. Because it was so cold, he started searching for something warm to do when he wasn't working as a care aid. "And it just came into my head!"

Nelson suddenly decided to go to the nearby dollar store and buy art supplies, despite never indulging in creativity before. Nelson painted a canvas depicting his – and his partner Brian's – feet touching. Brian couldn't be more pleased with the unexpected birthday gift. Nelson felt compelled to make more art.

"I'm [creating] three paintings a week," Nelson smiles proudly. The then 55-year-old with no prior artistic experience started filling 10 to 12 canvases a month with images ranging from landscapes to abstracts.

Although Nelson works two jobs – including a night shift – seven days a week, he says he never tires of being creative. "[I feel] joy and excitement," he explains.

When Nelson's not expressing happy experiences, he's working through challenging ones. When he was a care aid for people with Alzheimer's disease, Nelson painted a surreal picture of an elderly man with an anguished expression on face. The top of his head looked like puzzle pieces floating away.

When his partner was undergoing brain surgery, Nelson painted a portrait of Brian. He depicted the tumour transforming into a butterfly and flying away. The surgery proved successful.

Nelson says he's grateful to have found a new way to express himself. "That can boost your morale!"

Now Nelson is aiming to boost the morale of his neighbours. He's assembling all those blown-up gloves into a bulbous Christmas tree in his front yard. When he add lights, the spheres change colours at night. Nelson says it was his solution to keeping the cost of decorating more affordable.

He's also hoping to help inspire people to consider climate change, by turning his single-use plastics into seasonal-use decorations. Nelson's festive fence features bottles transformed into Santa Claus and colourful penguins.

While I'm focusing the camera on Nelson's Christmas display, a few people stop to say how much they appreciate it. Nelson smiles and thanks them for the compliments. But in the end, he hopes his work will inspire others who didn't think they were creative to have a crafty Christmas and an arty New Year.

"Get out there!," Nelson smiles. "And express yourself!"