I seldom work on painting really large stones, for several reasons.
For one, rock tends to get pretty heavy, pretty quickly, as the size goes up. And that makes them very hard to work with, particularly when the type of painting I do typically involves constantly moving and turning the stone I am working on.
For two, the larger stones are, the rougher their surfaces tend to be — at least in their "natural habitat." And since I don't put stones into tumblers, that means my options tend to be limited to whatever we find on our local beaches that has a smooth enough surface to paint in great detail.
On the whole, 99% of the rocks I paint on are 5" (125mm) or less in diameter, or on the longest side. Which works out pretty well in the context that Alchemy Stones typically end up as anything from "worry stones" people keep in their pockets to meditation objects and desk decorations.
But there are, of course, exceptions.
The stone pictured here is about 7" (22cm) across and weighs some 6 1/2 lbs (3kg). I found it quite a few years ago, and what was cool about it was not only its smoothness, but the fact that it actually has a fairly flat "bottom," so it can sit steadily on a desk or other flat surface.
I actually started painting it almost three years ago, and stopped a number of times because it felt like the design idea I had chose was actually a little more ambitious than I had intended.
One of the challenges of painting multiple mandalas on a single stone is that you invariably have to touch a previously painted part of the design... and yet you really can't, for fear that it will smear and/or get oil from your hands on it.
And so, you have this 6lb object that you have to move and balance in such a way that you can make tiny and highly accurate paint marks on it... while being extremely careful to not cause smudges.
Regardless, I finally finished it back in late November, after having worked a little bit on it from time to time, for almost three years.
The colors are inspired by Tibet, Nepal and the high Himalayas... reflecting the colors often seen on the prayer flags around mountain monuments. I loosely dubbed it "Tibetan Dreams," as a bit of a tribute to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, and his struggle to return to his homeland.
We did take it along to last weekend's art show, but I knew it was unlikely to sell — the price is $225.00 — because holiday shows tend to be somewhat "low end." However, it will be a centerpiece at the shows we'll go to this coming year, and hopefully will sell then!
Is it really possible to sell a $225 painted stone?
Well, yes. My previous most expensive (sold) stone was $275.00, and it went at a show, earlier this year.
Thanks for stopping by and reading; Do leave me a comment if you feel so inspired — interaction and engagement are always welcome!
If you enjoy painted rocks, do check out The Hive Rocks Project and help spread the word about Hive, while also being creative!
Because I am trying to make some semblance of income — a part time living, even — I now add this footer to all my posts, in the hope that someone, somewhere, might decide to take a further look at my work, and perhaps consider supporting independent art.
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2022.12.14 AS-TXT-134/102
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