New Directions

The Shell lights I decorated below are and example of projects I've explored in past, but because the shells are expensive and not easy to come by, they haven't been forthcoming.I've had to rely on friends or beaches where they can be found to acquire them, and when a bunch of scallop shells made into night lights are created, they go pretty fast. Once painted, I adhere a four color revolving nightlight to the back of each one carefully with E6000™... an industrial strength glue. They are pretty fragile and therefore should be left alone after inserting them into a light socket. The thing that makes for a pleasant feature is that they glow with just enough light so as to not be intrusive when wandering around in the middle of the night. A UV light (which comes with it) adds to its attractiveness, although that aspect can only be witnessed when observed from the front where most of the decoration has been placed. Exploring new and different surfaces with which to paint,keeps me busy.Everyone's suggestions and ideas affords plenty of opportunities for me to consider.

Approaching Halloween

Now with all the October winds acting up, power shut-offs and fires in the South Land, every day presents us with a world in transition. My Rock painting is something that stabilizes me, both emotionally and spiritually.

The best ideas I have for painting a particular rock is met with the challenge of actually bringing the idea to fruition. Sometimes, I just like to take a drawing from the past, scan it, bring it into an image editing program like Afinity™ and shrink it to the size of a rock and then print it out on Sticky-back gloss paper. This produces a tightly rendered pen and ink replica of the original that will fit nicely on a flat rock.

Lastly, the rock gets adorned with the usual glitter and glow paint that is typical of most of the rock creations. Below is an image that was drawn about a year ago. The original is about 9x12" and is of a fire breathing dragon.

Back in the Zone

Well, I must say that it doesn't take long before I'm missing all my compadres at the Farmer's Markets. Some of them even said they missed me! With the winds and hot weather, the last thing one would want to do is sit outside (even under a tree) and sell hot rocks. The Seasoned tourists are back in town for the Crush, and the threat of fires still linger on when we have 95º plus days to endure.

I have purchased a few new supplies like organza bags, metallic paints, printer ink, glitter, phosphorescent tubes, brushes, gel pens, keychain blacklights, hologram paper, et al. These items sure begin to add up, and it is a good thing that I have plenty in backstock, but the issue is not so much having an adequate amount of supplies... The issue is coming up with some compelling designs! Creativity and Motivation are big factors in the Spirit Rock realm.

Meditation has helped me stay focused in this area. Going to the Insight Meditation has helped me discover what it means to have equanimity. My attendance at these weekly groups on Tuesday evenings in Napa has been a wonderful activity that has been taking place weekly since after the fires occurred two years ago. Having a rock to hold is just one of the devices I use to anchor my attention when I attend these meditation events. When at home I put on my pair of Deepak Chopra Dreamweaver glasses which entrain my brain to an Alpha, Theta or Delta state. Immediately I drop into a suitable meditative "Zone". More about this next week. Here is this week's Rock of the Week, which is called the Pyramid stack.

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.