This site is not to be confused with the Spirit Rock Meditation Center
although we support it's practice of mindfulness.
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We have all heard the saying about throwing something against a wall to see what sticks, as being a way of deciding something that otherwise may be difficult in the process of making a particular decision. The same has been true in following my own creative instincts. That which sticks has been, and will continue to be, akin to "Taking what you like and leaving the rest". Some will see this as being a bit foolish by not exploring or questioning what has evolved up to that point. More about that later.
Honing and refining one's skills and choices in the creative process is very important. Happy accidents can and do occur depending upon how much time and energy you may devote to a process ( which in many cases gets abandoned because of an ineffable result ). However, two things may occur in that process. Your skills using a particular tool or medium will advance and/or it may remain a "Work in progress" until you are able to produce something masterful.
Making something masterful is the result of trial and error. It takes a lot to make a rock look beautiful. Sometimes the process can interfere with the outcome and the rock looks disastrous. Thankfully, that hasn't occurred so much lately. Below is really a state-of-the-art rock, of which I am very proud.
The rock on the right its the same rock under a blacklight
We all have to make a living. Some do it creatively by cultivating their skills and pursuing their talent. Others follow their calling and will adhere to a legacy passed on by their parents or relatives. The pinnacle of a particular skill can be called artistic and will have value both ascetically and commercially. A true artist is gifted in rendering both, by carefully evaluating their work both personally and collectively. However, putting the cart before the horse in this instance can be a delicate balance of priorities.
The appreciation of art is all fine and good, but the time, skill, material, and marketing that go into an agreed value are commonly measured in dollars and cents.
The other thing that an artist (as is commonly known), is the creator of a work of art., not that they have commanded the manipulation of materials or the environment by which something has been created, but that they are the vehicle by which the event of its manifestation has occurred.
Below is this week's "Rock of the Week".
I recently purchased a Meta Quest 2™ Headset which allows one to experience Virtual Reality. In fact, this blog entry is being typed in a virtual space as it syncs with my computer screen. When I've figured out how to add a screenshot of one of the apps' backgrounds with a current rock creation, it will be posted below. It has been fun and challenging to explore the fantastic art that some of these new apps offer in VR.
One app downloaded onto the Headset is called "Tripp™" which is a very psychedelic meditation app that invites the viewer to be totally immersed in the scene instead of just being able to view it on a 2D flatscreen. Being able to observe and interact in a 3D environment is where technology is now headed.
Your Spirit Rocks!™ will attempt to stay up with these innovative experiences and creativity as it emerges. The learning curve for this type of interaction is fairly steep. Especially if you are not a "Gamer" of sorts, as it is presupposed that these were the early adopters of this technology... so please stay tuned.
Getting back to the purpose of this blog which is to showcase the latest creation. Below is this week's " Rock of the Week ". It is a new rendition of the Phoenix, with a screenshot background found on the Tripp™ application.
The latest rock creations are ones that do not really involve the glow factor as such. I've discovered the value of using Gold puff paint on a very black background ( i.e. Black 3.0 ) after which the rock is coated with resin and ends up looking like an ornament from Italy (or Ireland as someone suggested). Below are samples of what is being described.
I know, I know. Resin is toxic and it is advisable not to use this material without wearing latex gloves or wearing a mask. The fumes can be bad news and if the stuff gets on your hands and skin it can be tough to get off. I have used hand sanitizer as the go-to substance for this problem.
That being said, I find that this is the best clear coat for anything like rocks and shells that you might want to make waterproof and shiny. It also makes the rocks practically indestructible ( which they already are pretty much ). After coating a rock or shell with the one-step UV resin I use by Decor Rom™, its put it under a large black light for around a minute then put it out in the sun for a few hours. Viola! a beautiful finish with a hard, clear coat appears.
Casting resin is another issue entirely and can be said that unless you are adept at this process, I would take a pass unless you know someone who has worked with this medium and knows exactly what they are doing.
As a novice, the work I've produced so far has me glowing with pride. My hope is that this process will work for you too if you are a rock painter starting out. The other option, of course, is to use a product called Triple Thick™ which gives a nice clear coat that dries fast but will not really withstand the elements as well as resin. The other plus is that you can get a project done quickly and it will not yellow over time which can happen with the resin.
The rock below is an example of something that just happened to come together pretty nicely. This of course is how it looks under UV light. Enjoy!
Gold puff paint has been my latest "Go to" medium of choice, especially on a dark background. It looks sort of regal when illustrating natural backgrounds like bullrushes emerging from a swamp. This provides a suitable setting for frogs, dragonflies, and concentric rings that often occur when dropping a pebble into a pond. These composed scenes remind me of what it is like to get out of town and venture off into different settings and find quiet, peaceful surroundings where surprising little critters abound.
Painting on panels of wood has provided me with a more preferable surface than the small canvases purchased at the dollar store. Although these aren't rocks, a small format invites one to experiment more than a large canvas which can be a bit intimidating. With time being of the essence, it's a bit easier to paint over a rock after some mishap, than sanding and painting over a mistake made on a large canvas. The rock, however, has many more opportunities for display than even a small canvas
It has been twelve years since I began selling rocks at craft fairs and farmer's markets. This continues to be wonderful odyssey. Over the years, an appreciation for acrylic paint and the absorbent surface of sandstone in began. Acrylic paint for the most part was unappealing to use for college art projects. The colors appeared flat and lifeless and dried too quickly. Oils, on the other hand, seemed more fluid and forgiving.
This has changed as the use of extenders and textures bring about more pleasing results. Metallic acrylic and phosphorescent puff paint have became the medium of choice. Then came interference acrylic. Then came resin and one-step craqule. The rest is history. As much as I enjoy sharing the value of these materials, it is better for budding artists to find this out for themselves. Art is about discovery after all.
Sandstones called out to me because of their smoothness, flatness and symmetry and turned out to be the perfect canvases to paint on. The size was irrelevant because smaller stones could be made into pendants and larger stones became paper weights or door stops.
Taking it a step further, stones that could be held comfortably in the hand became meditation objects and talismans. This was when the idea of calling them Spirit Rocks came into being. Australian Aborigines have it that the spirit of their ancestors are returned to natural forms like trees and rocks.
Certain rocks call to me.
They are timeless reminders of what went before. By all appearances, they don't change. Adorning them with color, texture, sparkle and a clear coat of resin brings these objects to life. It is difficult to release them. It is still my contention that the rocks will choose their keepers. It is an honor to learn that they have been gifted or passed along.... even hidden for others to find and enjoy. Below is this week's Rock of the week.
P.S. Notice the little QR code in the middle. Whoever scans it gets taken to this site. The plan is to hide more rocks with this sticker on it to bring more people to this blog site.
