ROCKS and STONES…

I started painting rocks sometime in 2023 after I found a painted rock outside of a restaurant in Boulder Junction, Wisconsin. It was such a beautiful intricate mandala design, pleasing to look at. When I got back home and tried to replicate something like it, but it wasn’t working. In July of ’23 while browsing through a flea market, I saw a woman painting dots on vinyl LPs. I learned what sort of tools to use and then searched YouTube for ideas. (There are so many incredibly talented people out there!)

Painting rocks became a hobby during 2024 when my dear mother-in-law came to live with us. She needed constant supervision due to dementia. I was used to getting out on the weekends and hiking and exploring the forest preserves. My wings were clipped for a season. Instead of relaxation and meditation in nature, painting mandalas became a new path at peacefulness. I painted while Barb watched her Hallmark movies. I would show her a completed rock and she would always say, “oooh, that’s nice, it’s beautiful!”

I stopped painting for quite a while after she passed away but started up again when camping in July of 2026.

I have recently had the honor of being invited to show off my work at the Orland Park Library in February 2027!