WHAT'S NEW — christine onward

Celebrating One Year of Community and Love for Rocks - Interview with Parrish Jefferson, Collector and Ardent Supporter of Rock Art 71

I'm just a gal from Texas, highly educated but have never been able to keep a stable career due to my husband's job which required frequent reassignments. It allowed me to see much of the world though. They also translated into helping me relate to artists from many places, in every corner of the globe!

A traveler's passion for art - glimpse into part of Parrish Jefferson's collection of rocks from all over the world! 

 
At last estimation I have about 350 rocks! I collect all genres, colors, themes etc., from USA, Brazil, Australia, Canada, Latvia, Korea, Indonesia, every country in Europe. What's heartbreaking is that in some countries postal costs are so high, it isn't even feasible to do business with the artists who live there. It is frustrating for them and myself all the time, unfortunately.

Part of Parrish's rock collection in blue hues

Displaying so many rocks has become really challenging for me. I often display in vignettes featuring certain colors or by theme (such as my Southwestern Style collection or that with a Native American look). I've also collected special bowls from several artists to provide more beautiful displays for rocks. I even have some on wall sconces! It's almost time, however, to purchase some new wall shelves!

 Parrish's stunning collection of rocks and the decorative plate in hues of turquoise

Has collecting painted rocks changed your life in any way?

It began with a simple first purchase....from Valeria Campagna. Boy, did I set the bar high! I was so impressed, that I posted awful pictures (my fault!) and shared my excitement with the few followers I had. That began one of the most important relationships in my life. Valeria is a dear friend and actually, we will be working together soon on a new project involving Etsy, other artists, and it will include opportunities for new artists as well! That's all I can say at this point, but I'll be making announcements in May.

I also have in the works a world wide 'Rock Olympics' (rather an annual rock painting competition). N.A. More details about this event will be published in a few weeks on this website

With a touch of boho-chic and admirable colours

With the positive feedback received from posting such beautiful works, collecting rocks soon became a passionate hobby! I had to hone my staging and photography skills and learn what a hashtag was! I made an advice sheet for new artists who wanted to make a name and sell Art. Artists then began coming to me for advice, wanting to be featured on my page; this was an honor to me and a happy and productive use of my time. It's been a joy.

Over the last year you have shown tremendous support for rock artists from USA and from across the globe. You frequently tag new artists in your posts, share their achievements, encourage new releases and new campaigns. Why? Where is this desire and energy to help others coming from?   

As I collect from established and well known artists as well as beginners,  I tend to meet thousands of them, even tangentially! I fully believe that one's motives are what matters in this life of soul-growth. Therefore, helping artists, featuring their art to best highlight its beauty, to support and encourage, to introduce new talents...well, it's a way  of paying it forward. Spreading beauty is always a treat! Further, promoting the business side of art is often distasteful to artists, so I help there as much as I can!

I also want people to know that artists have been VERY KIND to me! Not a week goes by without receiving gift rocks I didn't even realize had been sent! I'd estimate at least 30% of my rocks have been gifts. I consider that I'm overpaid in unexpected, generous gifts and say as much when people commend me for helping artists! And by the way, I never charge and never have, for any help. It just wouldn't feel comfortable for me.

Rock art mastered with magnificent skill and patience

I know this is going to be very difficult to respond to, but is there a specific rock in your collection that has a special significance for you or story attached to it that is worth talking about?

I do admit to having one favorite stone. Valeria painted the 'Parrish Rock' inspired by my energy (her words) and it is not only sentimentally the most meaningful rock, but also aesthetically one of the most beautiful rocks you'd ever hope to see! It has a sacred place in my home, with her framed words, and Christine, when I received it, it felt like I had won a Grammy or the Nobel Peace Prize! 

Val Campagna, the "Parrish Rock" and framed are Val's words about inspiration and friendship across oceans

Over this last year since your Instagram launching, you have surrounded yourself with a huge number of rock artists of outstanding talent and success. Along the way, some of them have also become good friends. Could you mention some of your artist friends?

They will be so many! I will only mention SOME of my wonderful, talented, and amazing artist friends, I do hope you will jump to check on their accounts for their art works are absolutely divine: Valeria Campagna, Andrea Moebes, Yosy,  Purvi Patel,  Sandi O., Corrina Marie Canning,  Oti's Art Studio, Summer Tan, Vallerie, and special regards to Viola, Karin Getaz and, the Empress, Liona Hotta

Last but not least, knowing so many artists and being involved so deeply in their creative world, what is the message you would like to send to them? Can art change things for the better?

The last words would be about the great therapeutic value of rock painting. Painting on rocks is something everyone should experience. It's calming, fun, creative whether one has innate skill or not.

Recently however consciousness has been raised regarding the ubiquitous problem of art theft. I've done several postings and had dozens of artists contact me in distraught over this issue. Artists, please tag those who inspire you, never take advantage from a peer's design, and finally, if it happens to you... TAKE ACTION! Let's keep this world of rock painting a beautiful thing!

Stunning art works and memorable colours from Parrish Jefferson's collection. Thank you for kindly enchanting us with such marvels and your kind words! 

Parrish and I are welcoming your comments in the section below. Also you can make inquiries or add info on rock_street@yahoo.com.

If interested to buy, the rocks for SALE are here. 

Story of my painted rock - visiting the land of Turquoise 10

Stones are like treasure chests. They capture inside the purity of the universe, the power of waves, whirling winds, and roughness of sand. We only add our story, with colours, brushes and no words – just love.

This is a story of how and where I painted this rock. Hope you enjoy.

WHY NOT USE A LITTLE RED? 9

Christine Onward talking about the symbolism of red and its use in creating art on rocks 

Red appears to be the colour that artists have been using the most in their art works. It is suggested that the value of a piece of art will increase dramatically just by using red in its composition. Recent studies also suggest that at least 77% of the art works in history have used predominantly the red colour.

But why is red so highly appraised in the world of art? And how is this preference for red reflected in the art rock painting?

Here are a few of the most significant explanations I found when it comes to using red in rock painting. To exemplify I used a number of rocks by the artists of RockStreet Collective, recently  posted in the group.

Photo collage by artist | Lysa Mignot |  of RockStreet Collective (artists tagged in group cover photo)

Probably the most common suggestion for the use of red in art is love. Being such an intense, “hot” color, artists have used red to convey emotions such as passion, happiness, or intense love.

But how do you represent love on a painted rock?

You may use the symbol of love heart

Red painted rocks with love hears by | Karin Getaz | Kathy McLoughlin | Christine Onward 

Flowers painted on rocks in red may also elicit feelings of love: 

Rocks by | Angel Martinez Garcia | Lysa Mignot | Pamela Campbell |

Red is believed to make you happy

Happy painted rocks by | Gaby Avila | Dawn Harper  | Kim Koch |

Red is such a powerful eye-catching colour that can make us quickly attracted to what we see. This is probably why, for outstanding designs, artists are prone to using red more than any other colours of the spectrum.

Rocks interior decorations by | Angel Martinez Garcia | Lysa Mignot | Christine Onward |

Red is used to reflect beauty in nature , as seen in the feathers of these fascinating birds:

Red and birds, painted rocks by | Tanya Nikolaevskaya | Christine Onward | 陳 泳澖 |

Red is also suggested to enhance strength, confidence and optimism. Here are some outstanding decorations using different hues of red:

Painted rocks by | Henriett Jäckl | Pauline Parker | Karin Getaz |

And some more red? How about romantic landscapes with a red sky at dawn?

Painted rock by | Christine Onward |

I will conclude here, although the story could continue with no end. Red painted rocks can make for a wonderful piece of decoration. Being a powerful colour which triggers intense emotions such as love, passion, happiness, the colour that attracts attention and makes every piece of art more desirable. There is no reason why you shouldn't try it for yourself.

***If you think your red work of art stands out from the crowd, feel free to post your rock in RockStreet Collective.  We celebrate RED week on our Instagram account starting from 4^th to 10^th of June.  There will be two artist winners every day!! Winning rocks will be featured on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and website. Looking forward to meeting you too.

More RED rocks for sale Here.

 Painted rock by | Sara Stich |

Tags Made Easy: Quick 10-Step-Hashtag Template to Increase Your Views on Instagram 18

RockStreet Collective's PAINTED ROCKS – the Halloween video 19

How do you make a group of artists, all different in age, styles, culture, personalities and interests feel like home? How do you make the art on rocks not only the common language for everyone, but also a source of fun, relaxation, joy, interest and so on… Here is an idea I came up with recently.

Collage of artworks by: Carrie Hart Sharp | Johns Found Art  | Berna Figueredo | Maria Michela Troccolo - Oceanomare Stone painting, sassi dipinti | Lindsey Bridges Art  | April Anderson | Ernestina Gallina - Pietrevive 

I woke up on Sunday morning thinking I need to make a Halloween gift for my RockStreet Collective hub of friends. I searched through my rocks, thinking that a simple post with a spooky painted stone and nice Halloween wishes will suffice. Then I looked around, and noticed everyone was also posting spooky rocks. Just in the most incredible styles, and colours, and moods reflected in so many approaches from so many countries!

Collage of artworks by: Petra Groth | Nadejda Vladeva | Mike Fant - Mike's Art Glass  | Rachel's Rocks | Ruth Yong | Jey Kam  | Pamela Campbell | Gaby Avila 

So I thought I could just make a funny video with painted rocks, new or old, from our RockStreet Collective group of painters. At 9 in the morning I began downloading Halloween photos of painted rocks. By lunch time I had about 90 photos saved on my computer, each of them with the most interesting, colourful, scary, original etc. designs.

Collage of artworks by:  Eiji Shimamura | Erika Warren | Chaz Kohut | The Mad Lou Rocks | Sandra Suazo | Danijela Milosevic  | Sussi Louise Smith | Shyla Jannusch | Nicky Stones

As you might already know, making a video is not just a simple thing of putting pictures all together randomly just to see what comes up in the end. Most of the photos I had downloaded needed editing. On each photo I had to type its author’s name as well. I had to explain the ownership of each creation for everyone. It was meant to be equally fair for everyone :) . Sooo, about 90 photos to edit until dinner time!

Collage of artworks by: Christine Onward | David Eric Leftwich | Lorraine Redlich | Liz Campanile Gibson | Marilena Sostero | Lyn Phillips | Annegret Ehrmann | Monica Maticiuc

At the end of the day I had 81 photos of 43 artists from around the world edited and ready to go into the RockStreet Collective Halloween celebratory video. I apologise to those artists of our Collective who didn’t make it to the video. If I missed any of your photos, it was not done on purpose.  

 And here is our video:

Halloween painted rocks by RockStreet Collective

I would like to thank all the artists whose works of art on rocks made up to such a wonderful, engaging little Halloween video. Since then I have received tens of thanks, wonderful words of gratitude, wonderful stories of life about how much this little attention from my side means to them… I also had some complaints that the video doesn’t play in some people’s countries. I think it might have been the song I used, “Abracadabra” by the Steve Miller Band, your country’s rights on the song, the device you are using, or just the misbehaving YouTube.

Collage of artworks by: Mónika Mészáros Kavicsfestés | Melinda's rock paintings | Spray PaintArt Veljo | Mariella Trigari | Michelle Sullivan Maddix  | Steenzoekertje Zoeken | Tami Hegwood

I will end my little Halloween video story here by thanking you all for bringing colour and joy in our lives every day. Painting on rocks does change lives – always for the better. And you make this happen.

With love,

Christine Onward of RockStreet Collective

Featured image by : Cynthia Snider

THIRD ROCK FROM THE SUN by Tony Flurscheim 30

Tony Flurscheim talking this week about his first encounter with painted rocks and therapeutic benefits of rock painting

When I first saw Christine Onward’s work on the net I could sense something creative and unique there. And the universe conspires at times to arrange things…

She happened to live almost next door to where I holiday each year. At Diamond Beach, a 5 hour drive north of Sydney. We meet up for a series of rocks for my sister’s Reiki Practice Waves of Energy and order some other general pieces.

Sunrise in Diamond Beach | Photo by Tony Flurscheim | Facebook | Instagram

I can still remember our first meeting with Christine at the little café in Blackhead, nearby Diamond Beach. They have great pies there all the time. My brother-in-law is normally a placid man of few words. He was in awe when shown the rocks! He literally stood up, looked alive for a change, picked up one piece and just said: I want this one!

 It came to me just then: Rock Art must bring out extraordinary drawing talents and create Healing Powers as well.

I bought some rocks and the following week I went to Canberra, our nation’s capital, to visit my friend in a nursing home. He has Alzheimer’s. I wanted to give him a rock as a gift. I handed it to him. You should have seen the look on his face! 

It lit up. Full of life. He connected with the rock. He touched it, felt it, and quickly put it in his pocket.

Photo and rocks painted by Christine Onward | The Stunner Boutique

And one more twist of fate: Months later my friend in Canberra lost the rock I gave to him. It happened that Christine was also in Canberra for a brief stay. I contacted her and had her do up another piece, with my friend’s name on the back of the rock.

I have since been told he’s very happy, and the rock is his constant companion.

The third rock from the sun. It does have mysterious ways of Healing. And a big thank you, Christine for making that happen.

An interesting find | Photo by Tony Flurscheim | Facebook | Instagram

- Tony Flurscheim – Sydney, Australia