It’s Wednesday my sweetums…and you KNOW what that means…ta-da….RANDOM ACTS OF ART! Whoo-hoo, that’s right. Time to spread some luvvvv one arty token at a time.
RANDOM ACTS OF ART…make a little arty something. Hide it in public where someone can eventually find it. Photograph the hidey spot and share it with the rest of us online.
In my case, that means little bitty painted heart rocks. Easy to make. Easy to hide. And weatherproof.
This week I decided to plant some love at the local hospital. I mean, who doesn’t need cheering up when they’re sick, right? And it just so happens I had an excuse to be there. Friend Amee’s Granny took up temporary residence with a broken leg. And I am a sucker for little old ladies. I took care of Mama for seven years and one thing I know for sure is they love company. Doesn’t matter if they know you or not. Someone popping in to say hi and hold a hand for a few minutes is a day-maker for sure.
So I drove to the hospital after work. I planted the first rock on a concrete thing just off the walkway between the parking lot and the main building. Plain site hide if someone is looking at the ground.
This is the entrance to the main building. The blue benches on the left are a bus stop.
Well, someone waiting for the bus after visiting their loved one could use a little cheering up, don’t you think?
As I walked through the lobby I left one on the newspaper rack. Maybe it would balance out the ugly stuff in the paper.
I found Granny’s room. Walked in an introduced myself. Then I reached in my pocket and gave her a rock.
Here it is on the bedside table. Seeing her there reminded me so much of Mama. Oh man, I love little old ladies. We chatted for a couple of minutes but I didn’t want to wear her out. I told her I’d be back and next time I’ll bring her a cookie.
On the way out I stopped at the nurse’s station. I explained what I was doing, what Random Acts of Art is all about. YAY! They were enthusiastic. Oh, yes they were! I gave them the last rocks I had in my pocket and they promised to hand them out in the unit. Who knows…maybe I have a couple more RAA converts on board.
Okay, now it’s your turn. Yes indeed! Do you have any Random Acts of Art to share this week? If you posted them on your blog enter the URL of the POST down below where it says You are next. Click Here. Follow the directions and what d’ya know…just like magic your link will appear. Everyone in the universe who reads Arty Life can then read your blog. The blog hop link will remain open until midnight Saturday, California time (PST)
If you want to join us but don’t have a blog, no problem. Send your photos and a brief description to me before Tuesday of next week and I’ll add them to my gallery in my next RAAW post. Please be sure the photos show the hiding spot. Much more interesting that way.
And be sure to spread the word. Get your kids to do it. Your friends. We want to spread luvvv all around the world. One arty token at a time.
Before I go, don’t forget to check out my FaceBook page. There’s always something new there, usually art. And if you like what you see, please do me a HUGE favor and click the ‘like’ button at the top of the page. I’ve got enough ‘likes’ now for a toaster but I’m saving up for a blender. Or maybe a puppy.
I have a friend. Her name is Dieter. No, her parents did not name her after a German boy, as Mr. Spouse thought was the case for several years. Dieter is her last name. She shares her first name with several English queens and at least one uber famous actress. It’s a lovely name, really. But for some reason she is, and always will be, Dieter to me.
But this is Wednesday. Time for RANDOM ACTS OF ART. The rules are simple. Make a little something. Leave it in a public place. Take a photo and walk away. What does Dieter have to do with all of this?
Well, Dieter and I have this…thing involving the local grocery. One of us sneaks up on the other and, umm…does this.
And then we laugh like a couple of middle schoolers and DO IT AGAIN! And again and again. Near the bananas. The ice cream. Pasta aisle. Wherever one of us thinks we can stalk the other one and get away with it.
Which says a lot for our mature-o’meter.
Well, today I ran into Dieter at the grocery. She was locking up her bicycle out front. I placed a rock and photographed it as we chatted.
It was on a light post or something in front of the store. Plain sight about waist height. Someone would surely find it. Then Dieter and I went into the store and made fools of ourselves sneaking up on one another and doing the Dramatic Chipmunk thing. Because we are so m.a.t.u.r.e.
I was the first to leave. As I walked past her bicycle I had to stop. And plant some love in whatever that thing’s called on the side of the bike. The thing she carries stuff in.
I figured she’d see it when she loaded her groceries. And I bet she heard Da Da Daaaaaaa when she did. So even though it’s not an anonymous RAA, it would still be a surprise and make someone smile.
And that’s what RAA is all about.
As I was putting the groceries in the back of the 4 Runner I glanced up the embankment next to the parking lot and noticed a perfect hidey spot at the base of a cedar tree. I scurried up the embankment, realizing about halfway up how steep it was. Not one of my better ideas.
But look. It was worth it, right? Easy enough to find from the sidewalk if someone happens to be looking.
And now it’s time to share RAA from around the world.
Sister Marjorie Ellen was inspired by the Kelly Rae Roberts poster I printed a couple weeks ago. You can follow the link and print some yourself. Or you can do what Margie did and make your own.
It’s in Norwegian. She lives in Norway. If I dare believe her translation (and she has led me down the wrong path before) it says, Please Help Yourself. The tags from left to right: Hope. Courage. Respect. Forgiveness. Faith. Rest. Love. Beauty. Joy. Time.
She hung one on the message board in the kiosk that shelters the neighborhood mailboxes. She’ll be hanging more and sharing. Next week, right Margie?
Now it’s your turn. If you blogged about any RAA you made this week enter the URL down below where it says You are next. It’s a blog hop and the link will remain open until Saturday 11:59 PM California time. (PST). If you want to join us and you don’t have a blog, send me your photos and I’ll post them the following week. If I get too many for a post I’ll make a gallery. Easy peasy.
Oh, hey…don’t forget to check out my Facebook page. Think of it as Arty Life Lite. More pictures, less words. While you’re there be sure to click the ‘like’ button at the top of the page. Think of it as a free lotto ticket…you’re not going to win anything but you’ll make me feel good : )
YAY, it’s WEDNESDAY!!! OMG, you know what that means…cartwheels! Backflips! Handsprings! Because…ta-da it’s time for RANDOM ACTS of ART, Wednesday edition.
And now that we’ve got all that jumping around out of the way, would someone please call the chiropractor? Because being an acrobat inCirque du Soleil is not in my future. Nor was it ever in my past.
But a girl can dream, can’t she….
So now as I settle in with an ice pack, a brief recap of RANDOM ACTS of ART WEDNESDAY for those who are new. It’s simple, really. A little something I started doing on Valentine’s Day. It was so much fun I decided to keep doing it. And I invite the world to join me. All you have to do is make a little arty something, leave it somewhere like on a trail or a restaurant for a random stranger to find. And after leaving little bit of anonymous luvvvv to brighten a someone’s day, take a photo. Then share it on your blog. And share the link here.
My Random Acts weren’t so random this week. First came sister Marjorie Ellen’s beautiful arty tokens, all the way from Norway.
Aren’t they gorgeous? Just some local rocks she covers with gold leaf and decorates with a tag from Yogi tea. She sent them with a special request, that I put them where Mama can find them.
So I put them in the oak grove where we put Mama last year. One year ago this past week.
And that’s where I put my own rocks. And sister Perci left some flowers. All nestled next to Mama’s big rock.
So for me it wasn’t about being random this week. It was just about spreading the luvvv right here at home.
And now it’s your turn. Got any RAA to share? Leave your link just below the post, where it says You’re next. Click here to enter. Can’t wait to see what you’ve got! The link stays open until Saturday midnight, California time.
Oh! And if you haven’t been to my Facebook page, check it out here. Got a couple art albums going there. And while you’re at it, do me a favor and ‘like’ the page, okay? I’ll be your best friend if you do, promise. I’ll even buy a box of Girl Scout cookies from your kid next year.
Somewhere in the vast reaches of CyberLand I stumbled across Kelly Rae Roberts. Yes, THE Kelly Rae. Artist. Entrepeneaur. And this week, inadvertent contributor to RANDOM ACTS of ART WEDNESDAY.
RAAW, for those of you who are new here, is the act of leaving little bits o’art out and about in public places. Anonymous little gifts to brighten up a stranger’s day. We are making people smile in Australia. The USA. Europa. We are taking over the world with luvvvvv. One arty token at a time. And taking it one step further by sharing photographs of what we make and where we hide it.
Back up. BACK UP! What’s this about Kelly Rae Roberts? Well, check this out. (Arrow pointing down) Go ahead. Scroll down and take a good look.
Doesn’t that make you want to jump up and down and HUG somebody??? You can read all the juicy details about how she came up with this and, best of all my sweetums, the link to download the PDF so you can print them up yourself and further spread the luvvvv. You can read it here.
I taped this to the staff room door at work today. By the time I went home it was missing a few tags.
On the way home I went out and spread some luvvv. I headed for a hiking trail that runs behind where I work. Lots of foot traffic during the day.
But on the way I couldn’t resist this storm drain.
The trail was rich with opportunities. Plain sight hides that may or may not be noticed. Like the Memory Garden.
And this monument to the movers who made the trail possible.
And a little hidey-hole right in the middle of the path. What a surprise for the walker who happens to look down.
And now for a peek at some wonderful little watercolor RAAs sent to me by Betty Thompson. Wouldn’t you just love to stumble upon one of these when you’re out and about? But if you want to find one you’re going to have to search around Sacramento, California. Betty didn’t say where she hid them…but maybe she will in the comments (That’s a hint, Betty!)
Abstract Flower art card by Betty Thompson
Bridge Street Bridge art card by Betty Thompson
'Camellia' art card by Betty Thompson
'Park' art card by Betty Thompson
'Merganser' art card by Betty Thompson
So now it’s your turn. Anyone hide anything this week? Got something to share? This is a blog hop, you know the drill. Just go right down below where it says ‘You are next…click here to enter’ and follow the directions to enter the link to your RAA post. The link will stay open until midnight Saturday. California time.
And if you don’t have a blog, you can send the photos to me like Betty did. Send them to me by Tuesday. Details are good, like where you hid them. If I get too many I’ll just put them in a slideshow.
It’s RANDOM ACTS of ART Wednesday, my sweetums…and you know what that means. PAR-TAY time!!! Yes indeed. Get to see where I spread the luvvv this week, one arty token at a time.
And since this is a BLOG HOP, you can share your own RAA adventures in the link down below.
But….you have to be patient. I’m doing things a little differently today. For a couple of reasons. First I’m going to show you how EASY it is to make a little something to hide. I know a lot of you are artists and maybe you’re over-thinking the process. Like, oh man, I would LOVE to do this but I just don’t have the time. Because it would take so long to make a MASTERPIECE. And then there’s the other camp, my other most best beloved readers who swear you don’t have a creative bone in your body, WHICH I KNOW IS NOT TRUE, and you think you can’t possibly make anything good enough to join the party.
Wrong. False. Not true. ANYONE can do this. ANYONE.
I’m going to show you the process from start to finish. My process of painting rocks. You, of course, can make anything you want.
First, get some rocks. I just buy a little bag at the local craft store. They’re in the floral department. This latest batch are supposed to be river rocks from China. CHINA? Imagine that. They look like glass to me, which is fine. They’re fairly smooth and that’s what I’m looking for.
Next, make yourself comfy. Put on some music or the tube. Make a cup of tea. Better yet, pour a glass of wine. Then bring out the acrylics.
These rocks needed an initial coat of white paint as a base before the gold paint. Two coats, actually. How did I know this…well, trial and error. I tried painting the gold first and it disappeared.
Next the gold paint. After that a simple red heart. We’re talking arty rocket science here.
The last step was to highlight with a Sharpie. Simple, right? I didn’t have a Sharpie at home so I took about a dozen rocks to work. Shhhh…don’t tell. I guess I’ll find out whether my boss reads Arty Life or not.
And because I was at work, I just HAD TO give one to a little old lady I love and adore, one of my most special students. Her smile and absolute delight were enough to make my day. I work here, by the way. In case you didn’t know. The new website is still under construction but you can get the idea.
So that’s the first part of the post. The how-to part. The behind the scenes part you never see.
And now it’s time for PART TWO…Ta-Da…The devious adrenalin rush hiding-da-goods part. But like I said up above, this week I did something different. This is a difficult time for me. Feelin’ a little…off lately. Because it was a year ago this week I realized it was time to bring Hospice in for Mama. Sigh…
Pause here while I eat another chocolate bar and indulge in a few minutes of the weepies.
Okay. Much better. So with Hospice on my mind this week I decided to spread the luvvv in their direction. I pocketed the rocks I finished at work today and headed out to the offices of Hospice of the Foothills.
This was NOT easy for me.
I’ve never been there before. They always came to us. I drove through pouring rain, knowing basically where it was. I parked the car and went to the door. It was locked. Then I noticed the intercom and realized I was at the Compassionate Care Center, the place where patients come for a few days so their caregivers can have a brief respite.
What was I doing? People were dying behind those doors. I had NO business being there.
So I left. But as I was driving out of the parking lot I saw the door for the In-Home Care office. So I parked the car and went in. Approached the nice lady behind the reception counter. I told her that last year they helped me take care of my mom. I put the rocks on the counter. They were in a plastic sandwich bag, wet from the rain. I took the rocks out one by one. Told her I painted them, that they weren’t very much, really. That they were an on-going art project I usually hide around town but I wanted to give them to Hospice this week. I blathered on and on as she picked them up one by one and said they were sweet, very sweet and thanked me.
It was awkward. But I did it. I never told her my name. Or told her this wasn’t my only donation, that I gave them a lot of cash last year. I just came in off the street, wet and bedraggled and handed her a bag of painted rocks. Which she graciously received.
And I trust she will help spread the luvvv.
Now it’s your turn. Got any stories or photos to share? I’m having a little problem with Linky Tools this week but you can link the URL to your post in the comments below.
If you don’t have a blog you’re always welcome to send your photos to me and I’ll post them next week.
It’s SPRING girls and boys! Calendar says so. Look out the window. Beyond the snow. See? Forsythia!!! And daffodils!!! And peepers and mud and snow…
And it’s WEDNESDAY. At least in this hemisphere. But no matter where you are it’s time to spread the luvvvv with…
RANDOM ACTS OF ART!
Time to hide little bits of art where they can be found by unsuspecting strangers. And share the evidence of your creative deviousness here. With moi, the Random Acts of Art Fairy. No…make that Random Acts of Art BUNNY! Because this is a blog hop, right? And because this week I hopped around hiding Random Acts of Art over at my day job. After hours, when no one could see me. Like the E. Bunny and the hard boiled egg stash.
I am the Rabbit. Koo-koo-ka-chu….
For those of you who don’t know, I teach art at the MOST magical place in the universe. A program for adults with developmental disabilities. If you’re brave enough to stumble around cyber construction you can check out our soon to be launched NEW website here.
Back? Okay. So you know it’s a pretty cool place. Some of my students know I’m painting rocks and might figure things out. But not all of them. And none of the other classes do. I started thinking why not hide them there? This way I’ll get some reaction from the finders. Or at least hear about it.
And maybe this will take on a life of it’s own. Become a perpetual game of re-hiding, like the eggs on Easter day.
First I put one in the weaving department. I’m fond of chenille. Really, who isn’t? Oh, and look. It’s not a heart. Susan is branching out. Imagine that!
Next I headed to the wood shop. Ohhhhh, lots of good hiding spots here. Like this one. Tucked next to a bicycle, of sorts.
And nesting in the wire brush. Or whatever it’s called.
Then I went to the snack bar. This one I super hid in an empty coin roll. Tucked in the drawer where these things are kept. Better than money any day. Which is a good excuse for a song, don’t you think?
Take it away boys!
Okay, that was fun. Any excuse for the BEATLES. Now back to business…back to hiding arty tokens.
This one is in the kitchen. In plain sight…if someone looks. And since classes take turns doing the lunch dishes someone is bound to find it.
The last one is in the clay room. In the hands of Mr. Action Figure. Handsome fella, eh? Barbi thinks he’s H.O.T. But what does she know? She’s sooo plastic.
So now it’s your turn. Got any Random Acts of Art to share this week? If you do, post the link down below where it says “You’re next…Enter here” The link stays open until Saturday 11:59 PM California time (PDT). And if you don’t have a blog but have a some photos to share send them to me and I’ll post them next week.
