Editor’s note: These rocks were painted by the Editor, at the 2017 Kindness Rocks event. The blue message was an encouragement used by former art teacher Margaret Sauer.
What began as a Chamber of Commerce event at 11:00 a.m., on Saturday, September 9, 2017, at the Morrison Sports Complex, 1501 Bishop Road, Morrison, IL, has migrated to the Art curriculum of the Junior High School, 300 Academic Drive, Morrison.
Morrison Economic Development Director Kim Ewoldsen stated, “Last fall, Barb King and I spearheaded the ‘Kindness Rocks’ painting at the Sports Complex. We probably had 15 to 20 people come out and paint rocks.” Barb King informed Ewoldsen on Friday, January 19, 2018, that their endeavor to spread kind thoughts will continue, by students at Morrison Junior High School.
“I wanted to share something with you,” she wrote Ewoldsen. “My daughter Erika came home from school yesterday and told me that her art class at the Jr. High is doing the Kindness Rocks project. I was so excited to hear this from her! Jamie Harmon is the art teacher, and she is introducing the entire thought/project behind Kindness Rocks to the kids. They are required to do different types of rocks (animals, some sort of art design, kindness saying, etc.) Then they get to hide them around town. I thought you would be… excited to hear this….”
Instructor Jamie Harmon teaches art to 265 Junior High students in grades six-through-eight. The Kindness Rocks unit is for only the “93 or 94 seventh graders. I saw a few [painted rocks] out and about, and [used the idea] as an extension to my painting project. I like to try new projects. The kids seem to love it!”
“They began,” she said, “by researching what ‘inspiration’ means. Each kid got to do five rocks: two with inspirational messages; one to place at the front of the Junior High; one to hide in the Community; an animal or monster. One had to be done in Pointillism style, making tiny dots with a toothpick.” They submitted their drawings for approval.
The painting technique of pointillism uses small, distinct dots of color to form an image. Mentally, the brain fills in the spaces to make a “solid” image. It was developed in 1886, by French artists Georges-Pierre Seurat and Paul Victor Jules Signac, as a variation of impressionism. However, this photo illustrates “pointillism” used on a 38,000-year-old rock found in France!
“Searching for the perfect rock out of 300 was the greatest challenge!” for the boys and girls, said Harmon.
She is enjoying her 18th year as an art instructor. Harmon taught 17 years in Polo, IL. Like Erika King, her daughter is in the seventh grade class.
Begin looking for a variety of painted rocks and inspiration for 2018, on Thursday, January 25, and Friday, January 26. Here are some of the students’ art pieces.
