Spinning Rocks

    You often hear, "When one door closes another one opens". This phrase is intended to give me hope. Trusting this process can be a bit aggravating though. What if you find yourself between these two transition points? Sitting in the hallway can be a pretty curious motivational factor. Asking for assistance in finding what my next move is to be,is essential in moving my ass forward. 

    This is where i am at presently. I came up with an idea awhile ago that proved to be a lot of fun for people who came up to my booth at the Farmer's Market both in Calistoga and Sebastopol. It was kind of like a roulette wheel; insofar as it was a hand-spinning rock that if you were lucky, would point to an arrow on a plate where marked indicators would line up. If this occurred, you would win a rock! Many of the painted rocks were won this way by both adults and children.

    Needless to say, I've been at this rock business for quite awhile, and a whole assortment of ideas about what to do with painted rocks have come and gone. This one, however is sticking.This is also why I am taking a break from my weekly appearance at the farmer's market.

  Not long ago, a friend of mine gave me two powerful USB chargeable blacklights that included three distinctive features. It activated the phosphors and fluorescent paints on the rock so that it not only features colors that turn super bright when the light is shining, but also an array of glowing colors in the dark when the light is switched off. These features will display the rock under three seperate color perspectives.Many people over the years have already seen me showcase their Spirit Rocks with a device built with which people would look into,to see how their rock would appear in the pitch darkness 

    The new thing I've discovered was using the black light's strobe effect to produce a mesmerizing optical vortex from a design that was paint/drawn on the top of the rock.

To view this in pitch darkness is the best way to showcase the rock. I have a veiwer that looks like a bong, but in fact is the UV flashlight positioned on an angle at the top, and the hole next to it to observe the covered rock without any ambient light showing through.

This glowing, spinning rock experience can be fairly easy to reproduce

    First you must find a perfectly round and flat rock with no dimples or lopsidedness. Tough call, but entirely possible.Basalt rocks like these can be found on beaches if you take the time looking for them. Finding one you can hold in the small of your hand is preferable. 

    What you do now is to go find a small glass bobble like the kind you get at a garden supply shop. You know, the kind that fill containers that hold flowers. Using an industrial strength glue like a clear E6000™ will hold the bobble in place as you let it dry ( the tricky part is finding the exact center of gravity so that the rock will spin like a top ). 

    Once dry, you've got yourself a spinner. The glue by the way, can be obtained at most hardware or craft stores like Michaels™.

To get a USB-Ultra Violet strobe light, the best bet would be Amazon. 

    To paint mesmerizing dots and stripes on top I would recommend Citrine and Burnt Orange UV reactive paint,made by a company called Jacquard™. The best phosphorescent, glow in the dark paint is made by Technoglow™. A company called Tulip™ makes a user friendly glow in the dark puff paint. Now for the best quick drying clear coats there are Triplethick™, Krylon™ UV Resistant Clear Spray, or even Modge Podge™. All these products are great for decorating your rock and making it look professional.

    Below is spinner rock, others have appeared on this blog in the past. The reason I am sharing the process of making one for yourself, is that I welcome like-minded artists who like to fuel their fire with cool ideas and expanded art forms.Let me know in the comments if you have any questions or would like to show me one that you've made.

as always, may YOUR SPIRIT ROCK!

The rock below actually spins for about a minute. Enjoy! 

 

 

Be thee to whom

 Your Spirit Rocks began over 16 years ago this October. I've learned through the years that people have given me such great ideas and opportunities to serve the community in ways I would not have thought possible. 

    Painting rocks that glow in the dark has been a blast from the beginning. Initially, this little business took me to markets from Napa to Healdsburg, Occidental, Lake County, Sebastopol, St. Helena,Treasure Island, Shoreline Ampitheater even Hawaii !

    Suggestions people have made about what I might consider doing with the painted rocks has always intrigued me. This creative pursuit has helped me render everything from bottle stoppers, pendants, keychains, elf garden mushrooms, spinner rocks and mobiles. No two items are the same, and they are all hand-made in my studio where I live in Calistoga.

    People have given me rocks, and have even gone with me to different areas to collect rocks. Granted, the rocks preferred are usually flat, completely round or oval, no dimples and completely smooth. The rocks seem to choose me, and this happens after scouring over many a bag full at the end of the day. Truth be told, "I don't need any more rocks !"

    Lately, the classes I've taught has broadened my perspective. Although technically, what I do is considered a craft. The business card says, " Artist" which is put on my tax forms as my occupation. You can be the judge of that title.

    Every week is a new adventure which I look forward to, even if I look half-asleep when you stop by. It's always an honor to have patrons return to the source. Your Spirit Rocks ( my world ).

Below is this week's "Rock of the Week"

    

Creating from Nothing

 Imagining an experience and having an actual experience cannot be differentiated within the activity of the mind. If you really think that there is someone hiding behind your closet door and learn in fact, that it was just your imagination, your body and mind will generate the same response.If we are so inclined, your mind may tell you that it is just a child playing peek-a-boo, or perhaps even a burgular wanting to steal your valuables.Whatever the case, we will be in the process of making a continuing narrative out of the whole situation.

Our imagination is a powerful tool.Even when looking at an object and taking a pencil and trying to draw what we see;This is still a product of our imagination.Drawing from life is re-creating what we see.Unfortunately, Many times I find myself conjuring instead of creating when and what I draw.

    Our stream of consciousness can be like a raging river, which we would need to eddy out of; in order to stay focused. Even as this is written, Trying to think about what it is that you want to read or hear about is the aim of creative expression.

Staying curious is how best to approach matters.Too many distractions will have us dividing our attention. In order to make sense of things, expanding our vision to incude others can be quite challenging.That is why paying attention, and staying in the moment can generate more reasoable results.

If we were to say, "Don't think of pink elephants" you will probably get some idea of a pink elephant or Donald Trump in your mind.Now even if these concepts pop up in your mind, it does not mean you are unconcious, It just means that you have included something that may have been subliminal addition. The trick then, is coming back into cognition which may or may not return accordingly, depending upon the importance you give it.

Ideas formulate when we are activated by their importance. Creativity evlolves from nothing, and will only manifest itself by the importance attributed.

Below is this weeks "Rock of the Month"

Taking their time

 It is always inspiring to watch people engage in a project that involves steps. Preparing a rock to paint for instance. It is natural to want to paint something on a rock that is pleasing to the eye. But for starters, where do I find a good rock to paint?

    Good question. My preference is to go to the beach, and like a beach-combing drifter, I puruse the shoreline until I spot a smooth, flat, round and symetrical shaped rock with no dimples or blemishes... and I pick it up. I like to think that the rock chooses me in a sense.

    The next step is to add a base coat, be it black or white and then waiting for each side to dry which will usually occur if left out in the sun for about fifteen minutes. After this, many will take a pencil to sketch a little design on the rock... be it a flower, a dog or whatever. We have used a multitude  of mediums to transform these stones into beautiful keepsakes.

    Native Americans have a belief that rocks are our ancestors.The aboriginees of Australia also share in this belief. There is something to this in my opinion. Basalt rock is what you will usually find on the shores of the Pacific. People say they make nice "skipping" rocks. I'm careful when picking up rocks, especially if they happen to be my grandmother. 

Never mind.

    If you have been following this blog for awhile, you will see that I have been posting now for over sixteen years on a regular basis.So much has evolved since I first took a few rocks home to paint back in 2010 and I haven't looked back. They have served to be my "little canvases" over the years.

    Anyway, I now find myself wanting to pass this adventure along to others in the hopes that they too will come to enjoy an activity that serves to bring a lot of inner peace.

    Below are a few of the Rock Stars from the latest class I gave at the Calistoga Art Center on Thursday. 

Rock Painting 2.0

 Hi there! Another Rock Painting workshop will be taking place at the Calistoga Art Center.

https://calistogaartcenter.org/

If you are a local you can attend this class  for free, However, this is for anyone over 50.

Space is limited so jump in if you are interested. 

MUST REGISTER to attend by calling Parks & Rec: 707 942 2838 or use link below:

https://cityofcalistoga.perfectmind.com/24305/Clients/BookMe4BookingPages/BookingCoursesPage?calendarId=ca1df1a4-fc53-4370-9266-f55ff446fbfb&widgetId=0f96be40-850d-452e-8477-77a6e828ae8d&embed=False

In this class I will be exploring other methods and materials for creating a keepsake jewel of a rock. I will be using materials such as:

Tulip™ Puff Paints ( from Amazon or Michael's Craft Stores )

Jacquard™ Luminaire Metallic Acrylic

Modge Podge™ gloss lustre acrylic sealer

Triple Thick™ clear coat for the finish gloss

You are welcome to bring your own supplies, rocks, brushes, etc.

This will be a more thorough class, insofar as we will be using materials that were not shown in the Rock Painting 1.0 group. So we look forward to seeing what you can do with these new items and methods.

This or something better

  "This or something better is now manifesting for me in my life, in totally satisfying ways for the highest good of all concerned."

~Shakti Gawain~

                                                    This affirmation has served me well throughout the years, and continues to do so. Whenever I am falling into survival mode, it is time to pause and reflect on those times where people that have been there for me. These events haven't always been positive experiences, that is for certain. Most of my personal growth, both emotionally and psychologically have come slowly. Several oppurtunities and lessons that my Higher Power had in store for me, were easily overlooked and missed as a result of my own self-centered behavior. However, things can turn around.

    The Spirit Rocks that I sell have been an example of this. Being out of a job and having no foreseeable future, I found myself looking out over the Pacific Ocean from a remote beach. Perhaps I will end up as a drifter, skipping rocks along the shore. Or perhaps an artist living in my own pad like a bohemian. Then it occured to me looking at these smooth shaped rocks. That's it ! I can paint on these small little canvases and maybe generate an income doing this!

    Today I have a life I've hoped for, living in a town that is equivalent to Mayberry, and countless friends who have always been there for me. I have everything I need, and need everything I have. Materially, settling for less has served a better purpose, although it hasn't been without a bigger price to pay. I just wanted to grow up to be hip, and to be loved.

    Having achieved this dubious and yet illusive goal, it is obvious to me now, that change is the rule and not the exception in life.Whether to go forth willingly or unwillingly is always the question to be addressed. Just for today, I won't hold back.Thy will, not mine, be done.

    Below is a sample of what has been called "The Rock of the Week" even if this hasn't always been the case.I have been a bit lazy as I've grown older. 

         Enjoy!

Not a goner

 Last week at the Market, a local Latina lady came by the booth with a friend. She showed me this glass sun ornament with a dark blue color. She expressed that she wanted to have a nylon chord attached to the item so that it could be hung from a kitchen window. I figured that to be an easy enough challenge, so I said that I would have it done in a matter of minutes. All this while she and her friend went on to purchase some vegetables.

    During their absence, I clumsily dropped this pretty sun ornament and it broke into pieces. Luckily, it was a clean break, but still, it was going to be hard to explain this accident to her and her friend Carmen.When both returned to see if the chord I supposedly and successfully had attached to the glass piece was not ready, it was going to be painful to explain how it just fell out of my hands and crashed on the ground.

    To my surprise, she graciously forgave me and said that I shouldn't worry about it. This response was not anticipated,nor was it how I wanted the story to end. 

    After some profuse apologies, She was told that it would be repaired as best as it could be, and to come back the next Saturday to pick it up.Naturally, I began to envision the possible difficulties that could occur when putting a project like this back together.

    It turned out to be a lot easier than first expected. I used a quick, one-step resin to bind the pieces together, and it worked! Then the next step got my creative juices pumping, so the decorating began to evolve. The pictures below show the finished project and the glowing face for what would then come to be another satisfied Rock Star.

Fun Stuff

 Okay, I was spending too much time on the internet ( as usual ) and discovered this cool site that will take your name and transpose it into images taken from space to form it's spelling. Just go to this site and enter a name...

https://science.nasa.gov/specials/your-name-in-landsat/

For fun, I tried the name, "Your Spirit Rocks" and this is what came on the screen.It never ceases to amaze me what is possible to create and have appear online nowadays. In fact, the word "Amazing" as descriptive adjective is perhaps wearing a little thin . Let's just say it's... uh, "Interesting". Nevertheless, I like to be the first kid on the block to discover this sort of thing 😁

Staying true to the purpose of this blog, I am committed to showcasing the "Rock of the Week" which in all honesty, does not always appear fifty-two times a year. Maybe at most, twenty. Anyway, here is this week's rock of the week. It's my little, glow in the dark alien rock. Ain't he cute?

Pursuing Beauty

    This idea of pursuing beauty takes into account many views and perspectives. Suffice to say that in our experience one may find some object or idea particularly beautiful, while another may find the exact same point of view particularly repulsive or even grotesque.Is the concept of beauty a shared belief or is it even measurable? If one is behelden to beauty does that diminish it's value? What exactly do i mean when I say that something is beautiful? Perhaps it can be argued that just get's gotten.

    Many have seen the movie a few years back, called "American Beauty" ( appropriately named ) where during the film a young man is showing a friend a video he has made of a plastic bag gyrating in the wind in what could be described as a dance . The character is so taken by this visual display that he begins to tear up.It was a very moving scene in which this character who was initially thought of to be a voyeur until, the girl he's been watching begins to befriend him. 

    The effect of beauty can both be attractive and revealing in it's ability to expose and mesmerize.This feeling of beauty speaks volumes. When I hear someone say, "That's beautiful" I try not to question their observation. Just to say "Thank you" will say it all