Slowing down a bit

This summer has been long and arduous, but it is not officially over until the 21st of September. Okay, I suspect that you are just chomping at the bit to see what the next rock will be. Admittedly, the production has gone down some, but I'm still cranking out a few rocks a week. Yesterday I went to get a fresh supply of Glow paint and brushes, just to keep up with my craft. If for some reason the production of rocks grinds to a halt, the universe is going to roll right over me into the future, and we can't have that.

The rock below is called "The Vatican Rock" which is dedicated to Pope Francis, just because it would be fitting. The cross is embellished with traditional "Crosslet Fitchys" ( a Heraldic term ) with the borders having purple flourishes to symbolize divine protection.

No Rock this Week

Yep, you heard it right. This week I'm on vacation. It is early September and the kids are back in school and the parents are usually pulling the purse strings pretty tight these days. However, last night in Middletown they had a First Friday event that was a lot of fun. My booth was set up on the corner where the Boar's Breath Inn used to be. It was the perfect venue for showcasing the rocks as they would appear in the dark. A few friends came by to wish me well and some even purchased a rock or pendant. Music played and the evening was pleasant as the sun went down on this little town just north of Calistoga. The heat of the day began to dissipate and the night was greeted with soft summer breezes. It is so pleasant when summer departs on such a melodious note. The picture below was drawn awhile back and features a figure viewing a large valley from the edge of the cliff. It represents the vision one might have as they look forward into the future of not knowing

The Rock of the Week

This week's rock is one that I've been tinkering with for a while now. You can see that it has a hidden image that is only activated under the UV light. This rock is generally what is considered to be a meditation rock. Repeating patterns is something that is intriguing to me. Developing a design from the inside out or the outside in will sometimes put me in a trance. Carefully, as each dot or stroke is applied, my attention and focus has to be precise.

The painting I do on the rock is more like decorating a cupcake at times. The "Paints' are really fabric paints which are quite gooey and unpredictable when applied, but after they dry can look quite appealing.. The invisible ink does not appear to be as permanent and long lasting as I would like.Perhaps in the future something like that would be possible to manufacture.

This Week's Rock of the Week

August reveals summer at its height, and I've been remiss in adding content to this blog. My bad. Art, in general, has taken precedence over the rock painting. Inspiration is essential to the very important pursuit of beauty in all forms. The concept of Beauty is how this spiritual journey began ten years ago. After all, our world is a benevolent place that beckons all of us to follow our bliss, our calling.

You see, I've been over-taken with the beauty witnessed below. She is modeling a piece I created just for her. It is a Sun/Moon pendant which is adorned with glow beads and gold glitter. Yellow is her favorite color, so no opportunity was passed by when it was added. It has been an honor to have her wear this neckpiece, as it has brought out her best qualities which are her sparkling personality and a kind smile.

Enough said.

This Week's Rock of the Week

Today was an interesting day. I was listening to a podcast about "Forest Bathing" and thought, I really should be outside. I've been thinking about this a lot lately. It is summertime, it's hot, yet why not enjoy the mornings or late afternoons in a forest before the sun goes down. Bothe Park is just that place for me. The tall redwoods and active creek make for that perfect communion with nature. Then it happened. Wham! I trip on a rock and down I go. You see the day was just divine so I broke into a run along the trail right before I fell. Needless to say, my life has begun to slow down, as my broken rib and sprained wrist heal. Ouch!

It's been said that we teach best what we need to learn ourselves. Well, what a lesson that was. Now I have taken to not just painting rocks, but meditating as they are being painted. It's peaceful at my place. Good music, a pot of coffee and I'm in the zone, usually coming up for air around 4pm in the afternoon. This has been my life for the past six years at least. What started out as a groove has turned into a rut lately. Now I'm reinventing myself as I seek greener pastures. The rock business has been about the same. Some days a grind, some days a groove. A wonderful time was had in Healdsburg however, at the "Art After Dark" event just off the square, last Friday night. Although I was sore from taking that fall, I was still able to put up the canopy, make lots of sales and take Saturday off.

The rock below is a trend started a week or so ago. It reminds me of a Clifford Still painting with the elongated strokes of color. Although I didn't paint with phosphorescent Glominex™ on the rock itself, it's got reactive paint to stun the viewer when observed under the UV blacklight.

This Week's Rock of the Week

It is July 13th, a Saturday, which means it is dedicated to rock sales at the Farmer's Market here in Calistoga. Tomorrow I attend the market in Sebastopol for the same reason. I have done this year-round for quite some time now. There is always something new to show and some new information that can be garnered to further the craft of Painted Rocks.

A friend named Donna came by and told me about a paper-marbling class to be held at the Nimbus art center in St. Helena next Saturday. It may be time to take a break from the market to go check this out. Acrylic pouring and paper marbling are two styles I would like to learn more about. This artistic pursuit is calling me to explore other methods and materials.

This past week, a rock was donated to the Aids walk. It was a rock with the Hindu symbol for peace on it. You may notice many yoga practitioners wearing this symbol. It seemed appropriate enough for the occasion. It gives me a lot of joy to be able to contribute something to a worthy cause like this.

Next Friday I will be a vendor at the "Art after Dark" event in Healdsburg. It looks to be a fun time can be had from 6pm to 9pm on the Square there. If you are going, please stop by to say hello. Lastly, the rock of the week (below) is one I enjoyed making as it is NOT something that looks similar to rocks that have been painted in the past. Please leave a comment, as it is nice to receive feedback for my work. Until next time, be well.

This Week in Spirit Rocks

It is the day after Independence Day 2019, and it has been a very enjoyable start to the month. As usual I am preparing myself for the Markets this weekend. However Yesterday, I was privileged to ride in a motorized cable car that brought myself and the Farmers Market staff down Lincoln Avenue in the annual Calistoga Fourth of July Parade. We were honored as the non-profit business of the year, and got to ride along with Calistoga's mayor, Chris Canning.This was the most fun I've had in quite awhile. Being part of the Farmers Market here has changed my life. If it weren't for this wonderful community of people, I don't know where I would be. The pictures below feature Christy, Karen and myself on the Cable Car.You can come by every Saturday year round to enjoy good music, food and local fellowship in a happy and safe environment ( We are right next to the police station, a block off of Lincoln Avenue, the main road in town. Please stop by!

Rocks in process

As you can see, I use different colors for different rocks. The paint I use is metallic acrylic. No two rocks are the same,even if I ultimately try to repeat colors and designs.The rock itself dictates it's own requirements. For instance, Sandstone is more porous than Granite with it's tooth (surface texture) able to absorb the acrylic paint better on the first coat. The paint on the rocks below only required one coat as it is quite thick. However, if you look closely, you can see that on some rocks, another color has adorned the edges.

The shape of the rock is another thing to consider. Craggy or obtusely-shaped rocks may require more than one coat of paint, as nooks and crannies are easily missed on the first application. Once the rock is given a solid color, it is sometimes fun to make it "two-toned" for more visual interest

.Using a complimentary color, this can be easily done by using an older,splayed brush and quickly flicking it up and down around the sides of the rock to cover only the edge. Then, using another slightly wet brush, simply diffuse the new color into the other by dampening it over the primary color. This process is better seen than explained.The two-tone effect should look almost airbrushed. So when we build and decorate these rocks,the surface will be ready for puff paint,glitter or whatever else used to add bling and texture. more to come...

The Rock of the Week

Decoupage!

This pasted image rock was done some time ago and features a .jpg image of a vaudeville dancer. The photo was easily re-sized in Adobe Photoshop™ and printed out on glossy sticky back paper.

After adhering it to the carefully selected rock ( which was very smooth, flat and shaped perfectly for this image )Trimming it to the size and shape of the rock is fairly easy, even if you are a novice using a pair of scissors. Lastly, I proceed to clear-coat the pic and add a glowing element around the border.

The nice thing about this process is that any digitized image can be modified, printed, and made available to be showcased on a flat rock. Pictures of family, friends, dogs, cats or anyone you may want to memorialize. The rock will look very nice on a desk or nightstand. Decoupage is the name given to artwork that adds pasted imagery to the surface. The addition of acrylic paints, dots, and design work enhance this process.