When you’re walking the streets and strolling the parks of Baytown, keep your eyes peeled for artistic treasures. They’re often hiding in plain sight.
Local artisans are hard at work sharing inspirational words and colorful images on rocks of various shapes and sizes. It’s a unique, creative endeavor that demonstrates their love for people and pride in their community.
Walking down Texas Avenue, you might discover a painted rock featuring a heartfelt saying at the base of a street light. On a playground outing with your children, one of them could find a cool-looking stone with a Disney character theme. You just never know where one of these decorated gems will pop up.
At the center of this fun activity is the Baytown Rocks Facebook group, which has more than 10,000 members. Their goal is to spread happiness, love and inspiration through the simple gesture of painting rocks and hiding them for others to find. It’s meant to inspire creativity, and to bring kids and families together. Anyone can participate. Just use your imagination to decorate rocks and place them somewhere outside where people can find them without too much hunting.
If you find a rock, you can choose to keep it or re-hide it for someone else to find. If you’re traveling, feel free to take a found rock home with you and re-hide it in your own community. Baytown-created rocks have turned up in cities across the country.
A few things to know:
You can purchase rocks at stores such as Lowe’s and Home Depot, as well as landscaping/gardening businesses like Donath’s Nursery.
Decorate your rocks with acrylic paint, metallic paint, paint pens/markers, glitter — whatever materials strike your fancy.
Art supplies are available at craft stores such as Hobby Lobby and Michaels.
Make sure to write on the back, “Keep or hide, but post on FB @BaytownRocks.” It’s a great way to share the fun.
Be sure to check out the Baytown Rocks Facebook page where you can post your latest discoveries and see cool painted rocks found by others around town. The page shares other helpful information for rock painters and collectors.
This is your chance to be creative and bring a smile to the faces of children and adults alike. So start painting those rocks.
Notes about the author: David Berkowitz is one of Baytown Tourism's amazing volunteers and creator and author of the "Baytown Project". To learn more about David and the Baytown Project, click here. To learn more about becoming a volunteer or blogger for Baytown Tourism, click here.