Painting Rocks-Have you tried it?

Painting stones has become a popular pastime in the pandemic.

Heather Markie, a mother of 3, started painting rocks in 2017. She spends weeks painting rocks with images and Bible verses before hiding them around where she lives.

‘Many times when I went back to the same place that I hid them, they were gone. So people have been picking them up.’

Heather said she feels happy knowing that there are people that take her rocks home with them.

‘It’s a bit of scripture they can take home. Sometimes it’s related to what they’re going through. It’s like a pick-me-up to them.’

Heather admitted that through a period in lockdown she had stopped painting rocks due to her depression but she is now attempting to make her hobby a weekly practice.

‘I tried to do it at night because I have kids to deal with.’ Heather also stated that she needed peace and quiet as she considered it a personal activity. She explained that by painting rocks she felt that she was activating her faith.

‘Whenever I look at film or a programme, Bible verses come at me all the time… that reminds me of that… for example, the Ariel one , the one that’s coming out of the water, reminds me of the Bible verse of anyone that is in Christ is a new creation, the old has gone and the new has come. That fits perfectly with the image of Ariel because her old self has died in the water and she came as a new being.’

Heather then explained her process of painting rocks. That it requires white-washing and using acrylic paint-the whole process can last a few days.

As for future endeavours, Heather says that she has five new projects lined up.

‘ I know there’s a lot of people with mental health so I’m going to put scriptures relating to that and Disney characters. I know people my age and children who enjoy Disney… Disney movies and themes.’

Heather says that she is reaching out to everyone because everyone needs to be a part of God’s kingdom. She believes that it’s important to share God’s love to all ‘as most people don’t see that.’ She then says that everyone should be using their talents to make a difference.