For the week of October 7, 2018 Northeast Ohio Rocks! honors Lindy Wilcox as Artist of the Week. Below Lindy shares her story.
Hi Everyone! My name is Lindy and it’s truly a joy to be a part of Northeast Ohio Rocks!. I’m an artist, like breathing it’s just something I can do. Although I will admit I prefer paints and markers and pencils.... the messier the better..... to graphic design and computers! Being part of this group has allowed me to do art in a way that creates art. By that I mean.... I’ve seen kids find our rocks and take them to Mom or Dad who gets off their phone and bonds with them as a result! I’ve witnessed cheek to cheek smiles that just blossom on people’s faces when they find a rock after wandering around by themselves. And it’s priceless to see someone’s eyes light up when I show them how to paint a rock and they realize that THEY CAN do it! I am not sure how many rocks I have painted but I do know ....My daughter often helps me color them and as a result she knows the priceless effect of acts of kindness and that will keep me painting them for years to come. Everyone deserves art and I thank Nancy and everyone involved in this group for your inspiration!
For the Week of October 21, 2018
For the week of October 21, 2018 Northeast Ohio Rocks! honors Danielle Manes as Artist of the Week. Below Danielle shares her story.
My name is Danielle. I took a few different art classes in high school to fill up my schedule. I was unaware I had any artistic abilities. Once I began trying to create art, I realized I was pretty good at it. Since then, I've painted occasionally and art has always been a hobby ever since. When it comes to painting rocks, I usually paint rocks that correlate with holidays or the current season. The meaning behind the NEO Rocks group inspires me to continue to paint. Painting and hiding rocks is also a fun activity for my children, as they really enjoy it too. I have painted around several hundred rocks total, and I have found a handful of rocks that others have hidden. I've been involved in this group for over a year. Aside from giving my children and I another hobby we can enjoy together, painting rocks has been quite therapeutic. It has also added an element of excitement going out to the Metro Parks and taking more walks to hide and find rocks.
For the Week of October 28, 2018
For the week of October 28, 2018 Northeast Ohio Rocks! honors Rachelle Toth as Artist of the Week. Below Rachelle shares her story.
Hi, my name is Rachelle, and I have been painting rocks for about a year and a half. I had not yet heard of this until my sister's bestie and her kids were talking about it. We decided to immediately go out looking for rocks to paint, and one of the kids found a painted one while on our search. I have been hooked ever since. Shortly after, i found my first rock. I could not believe how excited I got over a rock, but it completely made my day. I have only found a total of 2, and look forward to hopefully finding many more. Before rocks, my only real form of creativity was photography. Now I love to paint rocks. I was surprised at how calming it is. It is definitely a good stress relief for me. I can't say for sure how many rocks I have done, but I do know its over 400. I am currently working on my 2nd set of #share100smiles. I very rarely come up with my own ideas. I get most of my inspiration from Pinterest and other fellow rock painters. I never considered myself to be creative, so I often doubt what i can do. Turns out I'm better than i thought, as long as i take my time. There are often times a lot of erasing. I started to wonder how else i could create rocks with things other than paint. I have used stickers, napkins, and temporary tattoos. I love the tattoos and painting the best. One of the things I love to do most is ladybugs. They have a special meaning to our family. For us, it keeps my niece's memory alive, and in a way, let's her travel the world. I love Northeast Ohio Rocks for all the joy it brings into the lives of so many people, and how it gives me a sense of calm. I'm so grateful that someone out there came up with such a creative way to spread joy, kindness, and love. Those things are definitely needed in the world today. Thank you Northeast Ohio Rocks for helping to spread the love!
