Art Abandonment
Handrich-Walker said that part of what drove her to start the Facebook group "Reno Painted Rocks" was a love of art abandonment, or leaving artwork somewhere for others to find. The group has over 1,500 members, dispersed all over the world, from Reno to South Korea.
People who find the rocks take pictures of them and post them to Facebook to have their find shared with the group. Walker, who works in a bakery, said she “loves” Reno and described the art scene in the city as up and coming. “(The up and coming art scene) is a big draw for me, I love the arts, so (Reno has) got nice culture.”
An Outlet and Smiles
Handrich-Walker, who also works in a bakery, said she “loves” Reno and its arts and culture scene, which she described as up and coming. While also serving as an outlet for her, she said she likes the fact that the rocks can make someone else happy.
“If I can paint a rock and know that it's going to bring somebody a smile, that is soothing to me," she said.
Handrich-Walker, who says she has planted hundreds of rocks around Reno since the group was founded, added that the time it takes to paint a rock depends on its size. She said it can take anywhere from one to two hours or several minutes. Photo and reporting by Kevin Sheridan shared with Our Town Reno.
Handrich-Walker said some of what she uses for her rocks includes acrylic paint and watercolor pencils, while others in the group have used melted crayons and Sharpie pens to add color to the rocks. “(The mediums are) endless,” she said. “If you can write with it, you can draw a rock with it.”
Why don't you join the movement, make a rock, hide it, and go look for someone else's decorated one? More instructions are on the Facebook page. Photo by Kevin Sheridan shared with Our Town Reno.
Photos, Audio and Reporting by Kevin Sheridan shared with Our Town Reno