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!
