The genesis of Calming Totems stemmed from a combination of my passions: being a practicing Obstetrics and Gynecologist who also paints as an outlet for her experiences as an OB-GYN.
When I suddenly lost my younger brother, I felt a need for something personal to carry with me during the workday. Something that could bring my mind to a soothing and grounding space.
My brother loved nature and the outdoors. Last year, for his one-year anniversary, we decided to gather in his honor to plant a tree at his favorite park. We held a bench dedication ceremony.
As we approached his second Angel Anniversary, our family decided to gather again.
We wanted to do something a little more low-key, so we decided to gather at the park for a family picnic and a rock painting session. I gathered family and friends. Then, on a beautiful sunny spring day in NYC, we honored his memory while enjoying art in nature.
Why rocks?
While we were emptying my brother’s apartment, we found a rock in his possession with the words, “You Rock!” written across it. He had it on his dresser with other important picture frames, schatzes, and other personal items. Seeing that he kept this reminder in such plain sight, the rock struck me as something that may have held a special value to him.
If you would like to host a similar activity for your loved ones, here is a walk through of what I did. I share tips, takeaways, and suggestions for supplies.
–
Setting Up and Getting Ready
If you desire to gather people for a private event at a public park, you may need to obtain a permit for the park. In my case, we also needed permission to paint at the park and place the rocks around the tree.
We set up chairs and a table. I laid out an old plastic shower curtain on the ground and used water-based acrylic paints.
I set the intention to paint a message, any vital words or images that they felt represented him or how they remember him.
I did a simple tutorial with quick instructions.
Steps and Tips
* Use thin layers of acrylic paints or, even better, use Posca acrylic paint markers to make it easier to draw, paint in, and, after you let it dry, write on. I found that the POSCA Paint markers have different size nibs from fine point to medium, which helps for painting details. Alternatively, if this is not in your budget, you can use Sharpie Permanent markers. They work on many rock surfaces.
* Buy smooth, 3-inch flat rocks. These are easier to write and paint on than those with rough surfaces. I didn’t have time to clean the rocks ahead of time, but the paint adhered anyway.
* Once they dry, go to an area away from others, lay your rock on the shower curtain, and then varnish it. Since our rocks were going outside, I used Krylon Low Odor Clear Gloss Finish. Take care to spray outside and in a well-ventilated area away from others. I did 2-3 coats for these rocks as they were going to be placed around my brother’s tree.
Clean Up
Once we were done painting and varnishing, we made sure not to leave anything behind so as not to disturb the wildlife. Any water we used, we put it back in the containers they were brought in and took them with us.
–
That day, I felt a wonderful grounding effect from simply being in nature as I walked barefoot on the grass and shared art with the people I love. Taking that minute to pause and really feel our surroundings is important.
We are a society that has evolved into always being on the go.
This is your reminder to SLOW DOWN! Check out your local park.
If you want to be in nature and desire to do something artistic, it is as easy as taking a small sketchbook and pencil with you. If you wish to color, colored pencils are a no-mess way to add that element to your creations.