The Rock of the Week

This weeks rock features a dove in flight. The sandstone was flat without any knicks or blemishes.It was carefully painted using blue, violet and green interference acrylic.The image of the dove is a popular icon symbolizing peace and freedom.The bird itself and the dots surrounding the perimeter of the rock are phosphorescent, producing a glow that can be seen throughout the night after proper activation.

The Rock of the Week

The rock you see below is the flip side of the last rock I posted.I like the colorful circles and how it looks under a blacklight.This rock is about the size of a large cantaloupe and is the weight of a little puppy.The glow on the other side is constant throughout the night, where this side has a partial glow effect.These rocks show much better than the simple light and dark pattern featured in last weeks picture.The fluorescent paint is more brilliant than the phosphorescent paint under a blacklight. Both sides offer the viewer the option if one side loses its appeal.

This Week's Rock of the Week

This week, I honestly haven't felt like painting rocks much.In a slump, you might say.When this happens, my modus operandi is to go out and purchase a bunch of new art supplies to get me motivated. This has not happened.Rocks have even been found, prepped and painted with a base coat, so they are ready for some kind of creative juice to render them beautiful.

Last Saturday was cold and even though the sun came out later, there was not much foot traffic.Usually, Calistoga is a destination for people from the city who come to wine country to get away, take to the waters, eat good food, drink fine wine, etc. January is not the month where they are beating a path to your door. My sales reflect this observation.

Your Spirit Rocks are talismans that bring about prosperity and abundance if used correctly.The rock becomes a focal point at which one can direct their attention during meditation.The affirmation sheet that comes with each rock is what I personally recommend as a guide to bring about good fortune.My best thoughts and prayers go along with those who use these positive affirmations to fulfill their dreams for the highest good of all concerned.

The Rock and the picture below are my efforts at bringing peace of mind and creativity back into my life.The rainbow picture was taken at Russian Gulch facing east,away from the beach.

This Week's Rock(s) of the Week

Actually,as you can see that there are several new rocks shown below.This is an assortment of what is called the "Mandala" Collection of rocks.A recently purchased Epson™ ET 2750 desktop printer,has enabled some fun in the printing of "Mon crests" and other assorted badges.Sticky-back,high gloss paper is used and the images are then cut out and pasted right onto the surface with E6000 glue™,a very strong and effective glue for adhering most anything to hard surfaces like rocks.

After giving them a clear coat of Triple Thick™ which seals the rocks with a high gloss, UV protected layer,it is time to begin adding glow dots and glitter to bring forth a unique design.Occasionally,the use of gel pens for fine details are put to good use.When the design on top of the rock dries, it is time for a spray coat of Krylon acrylic coating.This seals in the gel dots so that they don't spread or get diffused.

Many other products are used for special effects,like the Montana™ brand UV-effect spray varnish.A glow in the dark invisible ink by OpticZ™ can be used for the hidden layer effect.Jacquard interference acrylics are put to good use when painting over primary colors to in effect, give a tertiary color that is seen when holding the rock in the light.Lastly,the drying process can be a bit daunting because the different materials dry at different rates.All materials dry according to the humidity and time of year as well (Winter being slower).Lastly,the finished rocks are placed on a spiked mat for overnight drying.It is hoped that you have found some of these tips useful in producing your own rock creations.Good luck!

Feliz Año Nuevo !

My neighbors have been greeting me this way for years.This coming year will be one of more production, more posters, more sales and more friends.My emphasis will be on showcasing the 3-D posters which will be coming soon.A new printer is in the mix along with an enclosed dark room for the public viewing of my work (still imagining this one).All in all, it is shaping up to be an exciting year.It looks like this site has also hit another milestone...5200 hits!

My friend Veda, celebrating the new year

Merry Christmas and Joyous Noel !

Here's to all of you who have supported my creative pursuit over the years. You have made 2017 a stellar year in spite of all setbacks and natural disasters. My hope is that you all receive all your gifts with gratitude, and all your loved ones with joy. Best wishes to you in 2018

Stocking Stuffers

This past week has me painting a whole assortment of rocks, just to stay ahead of my inventory. Last week was pretty good over in Sebastopol. Many people were on the square, looking around for that perfect unique gift to give to a loved one. The rocks shown below feature a few new images and a few standard looks that I've honed into visually pleasing, economic designs.

Better Holders

The picture below is of a Rock Holder design I created a while ago that features an updated version showing the thickness of the piece. The second photo is an assortment of the same item custom produced from a template designed to die-cut plexiglass.This was an expensive undertaking, but one that upgrades my whole display and really showcases the best rocks offered for sale.

Exploring new directions

My sister and I visited the "After Dark" exhibit at the Exploratorium on the waterfront in San Francisco last week.After finding a parking place and getting through the line, we began viewing the exhibits. It was my intent to see the LED lighted sculptures, as well as any glow in the dark items that may be featured.We found an exhibit about Scorpions that showed how they glowed in the dark because of the luminosity of their exoskeletons.The backlight I had brought with me so impressed the exhibitor that she wanted to know how she could acquire one.They are called "Letmy™ UV Blacklight" and can be found on Amazon for around ten bucks.

Later, it occurred to me that there were far too many things to see in one evening so we departed after about two hours.The picture taken is of the sculpture outside the facility