Whether walking around town, visiting a neighborhood park, or taking a hike, there is a good chance you have stumbled upon a painted rock, neatly tucked into a clever hiding spot. Rock painting has been a rapidly rising trend for a few years now in Western Colorado. The trend started to catch when there was frequent negativity in the news; the original rock painters hid their treasures in hopes to set a positive light in the community by bringing joy to others. First the rocks are creatively decorated in endless themes, then they are hidden, and finally one lucky person will have a brighter day when he or she come across a uniquely hand painted rock.
Anyone can paint rocks, you don’t even need to be an artist. Many rocks are painted with a design, words of encouragement, or short phrases. The key is to have fun doing something creative and then hide the rocks and brighten someone’s day. There are several Facebook groups around the US where people post their ideas for rock painting and announce a “rock drop”, which is when an individual or group is planning to hide several rocks in one location. This is an inexpensive activity, whether you enjoy painting and hiding the rocks or finding the rocks. Many parents have joined these rock groups online so they can see when and where rocks will be dropped, then they take their kids out and try to find them.
Rock finders are also encouraged to post pictures of the rocks they find on social media, either to the local “Rock Groups” on Facebook or by using the hashtag on the back of the rock. Think about how excited you are to find a rock! Share the joy by sharing your images so the artist can experience good juju when they see the excitement of those finding the rocks. Often the rocks will have a message on the back that includes the name of the group that hid the rocks, a hashtag, and a message saying “keep or re-hide”.
If you would like to start painting rocks there are a few important tips. 1) Use rocks with a smooth surface. 2) Rinse the rocks thoroughly, clean all the dirt and sand off the rocks. 3) Use acrylic paints. 4) When the rock is dry be sure to spray it with a clear coat spray to keep your artwork from fading or chipping. When hiding rocks, make sure you have an understanding of the rules for the public space you plan to place rocks. For instance, the National Parks prefer to not have rocks hidden within the park boundaries. Another thing to consider is the location you place the rocks; avoid hiding them in the grass at the parks; as a lawnmower may run them over and cause damage to the park machinery, worker, or possibly other park users.
As the rock hunter there are a few pieces of etiquette one should follow. 1) If you see a painted rock on private property, like someone’s yard, the owner may want to keep that rock as a decoration in their yard, so do not take it. 2) When you see lots of rocks hidden in one location, take only a few and give someone else the chance to find them too. 3) Sometimes business owners have rocks on their front counter or at a market booth, which they use to hold papers down; be courteous and ask first before taking. 4) When you find a rock, post it on social media and use the hashtag on the back of the rock so the artist has a chance to see who found their rocks. 5) Try to re-hide some of the rocks you find.
Most major cities have local rock groups, some even invite community members to join for monthly group painting times. If you are looking for a group, it is easiest to do a search for Rock Painting and the City you are in. When looking for a rock group on Facebook, note you may have to request to join the group to be able to post a comment, but you should be able to read the page posts without becoming a member, which is beneficial if you are on vacation. If you are in Grand Junction there are a few groups to follow on Facebook: Grand Junction Rocks, GJ Rocks & Art Treasures Abandonment, and Fruita Rocks.
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