September 16, 2017

Rock Painting and The Kindness Rocks Project

In August, we spent three amazing weeks in Colorado. While there, my friend Linda introduced me to the latest artsy craze--rock painting. It's a hide and seek style event in which participants paint rocks and then hide them for other folks to find. 


The goal of the painted rock is to inspire, make someone smile, brighten a day, etc. More about the origin of this rock painting trend--The Kindness Rocks Project--as well as a video at the end of this post.

With this in mind, Linda & I decided to paint rocks so we collected some in and around the RV park. 

Time to paint!
Oh, but first things first.

We had to make sure our 
canine companions were
comfy & cozy near our work table.
(Front to back: Harley, Tootie, Chewy, Sally)


They're always very happy campers when they're outside! 


Next, our supplies were gathered...
Paint ⤋ and artsy stuff!


...and we played.

Linda Van Gogh enjoying the painting journey!

Sweet Elmer begged me to paint! 
He melted my heart with his adorable 
plea but had to deny his request.

George and Joe got bored watching us paint so they decided to go on a steep, rugged 1/4 mile hike up to a waterfall in Ouray. 

Joe & Geo triumphant in their hiking endeavor.

When at the location above, 
they found this happy painted rock!
How appropriate is that?
Pretty, isn't it?


We weren't able to finish our rocks that day but I finished mine when we returned home. Linda & Joe were able to stay in Colorado for several more wonderful weeks, and she finished her rocks then.


Here's Linda's very cool vintage trailer.
That's as cute as can be!

And here is her heart rock.
It makes me smile!
I love the colors and all the circles!

I painted one rock, and I guess it could 
be classified a mixed media rock. 

Whoops!
Wrong side.
It looks like a pink blob, doesn't it?


The rock was actually
kind of, sort of...

...a heart-shaped rock

So I went with painting it accordingly. 

The finished rock 
in all it's glittery glory!


Art supplies used in addition to acrylic paint:
  • Tissue paper (the center of the heart with the big circles), 
  • A Pitt pen (the black around the big tissue paper circles), 
  • Glitter glue (matching colors of glitter glue on top of the tissue paper circles and blue spots of glitter glue on a few of the white painted circles), 
  • Clear acrylic glitter paint, and 
  • Mod Podge to seal it. 
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

ABOUT ROCK PAINTING

Below are some of the things I've learned via the internet. 

When you find a painted rock. You can
  • Re-hide it in another location,
  • Take it and leave one in its place,
  • Post a pic on that town's FB rock page saying where you found it. (Search the town's name where you found it, and the words "painted rocks."), 
  • You can also post where you found it, and what you're going to do with it. 
When you paint a rock and hide it, you can:
  • Write directions for the finder on the back of it, 
  • Post a photo of it on your town's FB page and give a hint as to where it will be, e.g. a park, shopping center, school yard,
  • Keep it!
Of course, you can always do anything your little ole heart desires to do. I don't think the Painted Rock Police will hunt you down and throw you in Rock Prison where you'll eat only rock candy for the rest of your rocky life. I don't think so but don't hold me to it. 


There's a lot of inspiring info on the internet about it, such as the groups of people that are gathering together to paint rocks--families, friends, and strangers. Even better is the fact that they are getting out in nature to hide and seek them as well!

I picked up a prescription the other day at the drive through window of the local pharmacy, and when the pharmacy's drawer extended to the window of my car, a cute painted rock with the pharmacy name on it was inside!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

This rock painting joy was founded as:
The Kindness Rocks Project 


Kindness has been on my mind for quite awhile so I really enjoyed the video below from the gal who started it. It's very cool and I loved it!



A couple more rock painting 
videos can be found here.

While we were painting, Linda and I decided that we'd each put together a kit of art supplies to bring along on future trips. Oh the joy! 

Happy Rock Painting Y'all!
D~~~~