I’ve never been a great artist. I love art, and I’ve always loved painting, but I don’t seem to have that true natural talent that makes a great artist. I’m more of a frustrated ok artist.
In high school I managed to turn out a few decent paintings and ended up getting the senior art award in my class that year, not that there were many others in art in my class. After high school I continued to draw and paint at home now and then, but was always more frustrated with my final projects than I was happy. So I basically put my brushes away and stuck more to my writing. That was always my stronger talent.
Then I had children and low and behold, I had given birth to little artists, ok 3 out of 4 and he knows who he is. One of them had to take after Jay and be the farmer boy in the family. He excels at that and his handi-work with his perfectionism being just like his dad. Actually none of them inherited my total laid back attitude. I guess that’s good, they are all perfectionists.
My other 3 got my art talents and ran with it. They became artists, photographers, painters, writers, and I love it! Even my “non-artist” son is a good writer! I am somewhat (ok, a lot) jealous! I am still a frustrated artist and they are painting beautiful pictures and their writing and photography put me to shame. At least I can take credit for them inheriting that talent.
Recently my youngest daughter and I decided to try painting rocks with the kids at our first annual “Cousins Camp”. It’s a fun project that many are doing, and it’s easy for kids as well. It’s a great at home activity especially now during covid-19 shut downs. It’s not expensive, it’s something you can do with your children, and you can take the finished rocks to public places to leave for others to find them and spread the joy! Some call them kindness rocks, I call mine love rocks.
At first, I found a simple little “stick” person that I could draw pretty well with my cheap little paint brush. There are all kinds of cool acrylic paint pens and other tools, but to start off, I have just a few paint brushes I had on hand and some .50 cent acrylic paints and a can of spray gloss coating.
The stick people were cute, and I thought I’d found something I can do well! More importantly I was enjoying painting again! It felt good to have a brush in my hand after all these years. For a few years my brush had been nail polish brushes as I did nail art and enjoyed that phase. This felt better though because I’m giving these art rocks away to unknown random people.
While I was working on my stick people, my daughter Brittney was painting beautiful landscapes and cute little bugs and campers. Yes, I have to admit I was jealous of her talent. But then I realized, oh wait, she got those talented DNA bits from me, so I’m ok with it.
After the rock painting success at Cousin Camp, we decided we wanted to continue painting rocks and giving them away. I was looking through online media sources to find some more ideas of simple things I could paint, when I came across this black rooster. He was kind of comical looking, but looked pretty simple. I gave it a shot and I’ll admit it came out pretty well. There have been many rocks that I have painted over after attempting something, but not these. That’s what I love about acrylic paint, the forgiveness!
I painted a second one, and a third. I think I’ve found my niche. I added white dots to a couple, made some hens and some roosters. Each one seemed to be coming out pretty well and I was enjoying painting them. I’d found my calling in chickens it would seem and I’m ok with that.
I love chickens and the black colored ones have always been my favorite. So I guess the little stick people weren’t my thing after all, I guess it’s chickens! Life is like that sometimes, you think you’ve found what you are supposed to be doing or what you are good at, and BLAM, along comes something else entirely different! I guess my moment was chickens.
There is also something calming about sitting here painting chickens. Each one takes on it’s own personality and I wonder about the people who will find them. Will they like my little attempt at art, or will they think it’s silly and give it a toss. Either way, I had fun painting each and every one of them. Some I’ll admit I like better than others, but I’d never tell.
Then after a couple of good spray coatings so the artwork doesn’t wash away in the rain, Jazzy and I put a few in a little tin and drive somewhere to place the rocks. I usually leave them out pretty visible, I want people to run across them. The fun of seeing something you weren’t expecting is part of the joy of leaving them. I always hope it will bring a smile when someone goes for a walk, or sits at a bench or table and spots a silly little chicken rock sitting there waiting for them to discover.
Be on the lookout for them. I sign them all with a TLA on the back. If you find one, let me know, it would be fun to hear. I usually leave them at the Dike lake or in New Hartford at their memorial park. Some end up in Cedar Falls at my favorite places. Once in a while at other towns I’m in, you never know.
Sometimes it’s something else I paint, but mostly it’s all about the chickens!
These chickens give me joy in painting them and my hope is they bring the finder some joy and a smile.
Stay safe, stay socially distant, wear a mask in public.
Until next time!
Toni