For
the week of
May 7, 2017,
Northeast Ohio Rocks! honors Tina Givens
as Artist of the Week. Below Tina shares her Northeast Ohio Rocks!
Story with us.
I
started drawing and painting when I was very young, my mother is a
very talented artist and seamstress. I would say I have always
aspired to be even just a small bit as talented as her. I have had
some art lessons when I was young and in school. I have always loved
to draw and paint no matter if it's on windows, painting murals, face
painting, canvas oil painting or crafting and painting rocks. Rock
painting has brought so much creativity back to me and helped me find
something I had forgotten about for awhile. I can thank my brother
for that, he introduced me to the group and in the process has given
our family something to do and enjoy together as my children and my
niece all love to paint together as well as us adults. As I look at
the almost 300 rocks I have painted I have to say that I love to
paint anything I think will bring a huge smile to someone especially
a child. And just about everything I paint has some amount of shimmer
or glitter, anyone who knows me would tell you that's typical lol to
me everything is better with glitter. In my opinion Northeast Ohio
Rocks is amazing. Spreading kindness one rock at a time to strangers
who otherwise would have no contact with or positive impact on each
other's lives in this harsh world now a days is unheard of. And here
we are not world leaders or government decision makers but simple
moms, dad's, children, just regular people trying to make what can be
a cruel dark and down right scary world a little kinder, a little
sweeter of a place and maybe make the heaviness on someone's heart a
little lighter. One happy painted rock hiding just around an
unsuspected corner spreading one random act of kindness at a time. It
makes my heart sing. Thank you Nancy for noticing me and giving me
the opportunity to tell a little of my story. But most of all for
having the insight to create this group giving me a way to channel
some creativity into a genuine vessel of love and kindness. Rock On
Northeast Ohio Rocks! You are All Amazing!
For the week of May 28, 2017, Northeast Ohio Rocks! honors Jennifer Pickering Theodore as Artist of the Week. Below Jennifer shares her Northeast Ohio Rocks! story with us.
I found my art passion when I was very young and spent most of my childhood through my 20's creating art. I enjoyed acrylic painting and photography mostly. I am privileged to say a lot of my art work from my younger years was displayed in Canton, Akron, Youngstown and Cleveland! But as with so many of us, as I got older, started a career, got married and began a family; I spent less and less time on my art. Last fall I was introduced to this group by my very best friend and fellow-painter Summer Layne. And have been hooked ever since! This group has allowed me to re-awake my "artsy-fartsy" side. The bonus of painting rocks is having my kids involved, cracking open their creativity! Its funny how when I was in my teens, painting canvases I would literally create beautiful paintings and then just give them away. I never really wanted to keep anything I made; I wanted to share it with everyone and let it bringing happiness. So painting these rocks is just an extension of what I use to do! People tell me all the time "your rocks are too pretty to hide" which is such a beautiful compliment . But I don't paint rocks to keep them, I paint them to make other people happy! I have painted and hid close to 400 rocks to date and personally found only 2 (but including the ones my kids have found, our family has stumbled onto 7). If you look at my rocks, they are "all over the place" as far as "types", I rarely paint "themes". Most of my designs come as requests from my kids. And since most of the time when I'm painting, so are my kids . . . there is usually a lot of random paint left in the tray. Not wanting to waste that, I base coat and blend colors for next round of painting. And then just find something cute to paint on them. Sometimes I get in moods where I just want to do quotes and sometimes I just make patterns. I try to make all my rocks fun and bright so they are easily found. One of my favorite things about Northeast Ohio Rocks! is how it brings out so much happiness in so many people. TOGETHER we take something as simple as a painted rock and elevate it to spreading kindness to corners of not only all our communities, but across the world! I am so proud to be able to say I am part of Northeast Ohio Rocks!
