| Mental health experts have long known the value of | | | | tons of letters over the years from people who |
| developing creative outlets to relieve stress. This | | | | wanted to tell me how exciting it was to discover a |
| particularly applies to people who work in 'burn-out' | | | | way of making art that they were actually good |
| prone professions like teaching, nursing and social | | | | at."Another group who have embraced rock painting |
| work, but these days nearly everyone is liable to feel | | | | are people suffering from chronic pain. Engaging in a |
| some degree of work-related stress. But what if you | | | | creative activity allows you to 'zone out' for a time, |
| hate knitting, don't have the resources to take up | | | | providing relief and respite. People dealing with loss or |
| scrapbooking and are convinced you don't possess a | | | | grief also report finding immense solace from |
| drop of creativity? It might just be time for you get | | | | concentrating on their painting projects.Creative |
| rocking!Painting on rocks is probably the oldest art | | | | pastimes are an important component of living a |
| form known to man, but according to Lin Wellford, | | | | balanced and satisfying life, so if you have not yet |
| who has been painting rocks for almost thirty years, | | | | discovered your hidden talents, it may just be time |
| rock painting is an ideal way to connect with hidden | | | | to take a closer look at the art material lying right |
| artistic talent.But why paint rocks? Not only are they | | | | there at your feet!Lin Wellford is widely considered |
| free for the taking in many places all over the world, | | | | to be the 'mother of modern rock painting' for her |
| but they have shape and dimension so that even | | | | efforts to promote this low cost, assessible form of |
| people with very little artistic experience can visualize | | | | self-expression. The author of eight books on the art |
| what the rock could become with just a little | | | | of painting rocks, including her newest book, Rock |
| effort."Rocks are not intimidating the way so many | | | | Painting Fun for Everyone!, Wellford appears regularly |
| more formal art materials are," Wellford explains. | | | | on The Carol Duvall Show on HGTV. Articles about |
| "They are natural and rather humble, and it is simply | | | | her unique art form have been published in such |
| impossible to ruin a rock."People seem to have an | | | | diverse magazines as Birds & Blooms, National |
| affinity for rocks and stones that they don't have | | | | Geographic's World, The Artist, Country Decorating |
| for other materials. They are solid and real, and they | | | | Ideas, Michael's Arts & Crafts magazine and Family |
| also represent a piece of the place they came from. | | | | Circle's Weekend Homecrafts. Her new book is |
| Add to that the fact that they are both fun and | | | | available at her website, at or at Hobby Lobby stores |
| easy to paint."I think there are many people who've | | | | throughout the U.S. Along with her books, she has a |
| longed to find successful ways to express | | | | video on rock painting and also teaches and hosts |
| themselves creatively," Wellford explains. "They may | | | | workshops to introduce new painters to the basics |
| have tried drawing or painting before and perhaps | | | | and encourage them to uncover their own hidden |
| were embarrassed by their efforts. Painting a rock is | | | | talents. |
| like finding a shortcut to satisfying results. I've gotten | | | | |