Talking Sheppey Rocks with Carol Sheridan

After speaking to Shannon Cole about her joy of finding painted rocks whilst out and about I’m really keen to get in touch with someone from Sheppey Rocks. They’re a group of people who paint rocks, hide them and find them. You can find them on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1966250610279516/

Carol Sheridan really kindly offered up some of her time to Zoom with me. She sent me a link to this interview she’d just done with Simply Sheppey - it’s great! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNhqwBFujfc

After watching the interview I was keen to talk to Carol about the way that she approaches painting rocks - do the particular shapes take her in particular directions or does she have a plan? She told me that sometime she picks up a rock and she thinks ah yes there’s a teddy bear in that one because of the shape of it, sometimes she might be flicking through a magazine and see an image that she thinks would look nice on a rock and sometimes it just doesn’t go right too! Carol stresses that you really don’t have to be an artist to give it a go: patterns or just painting a word can work really well and could mean something different to different people. Often people have never painted before and when they give it a go, they realise they have a talent they never had before.

Carol’s been painting rocks for 3 years now and got into it after finding a rock herself and thinking that was something she could do too. Now she’s always on the look out for rocks and people even leave them on her doorstep! She also makes her own rocks out of quick dry cement in silicone cake moulds and gives me tips on which painting materials work best. 

Carol tells me there is lots of arts and crafts to do on the island, lots of people working together in groups to be creative. I’m really excited to hear her plans for Queenborough and Rushenden in Bloom. She's invited people from all over the island to paint rocks (and wellies!) for a giant display. Since I spoke to her it’s actually happened and the photos look amazing! 

It’s almost time to say goodbye when Carol tells me she would never sell the rocks she makes but she does exchange them for rocks that other people have painted. Once a month she’ll paint a rock on a specific theme, place it in a padded envelope and post it second class to another rock painter who will do the same for her. ROCKS IN THE POST!!! Who knew?! It blew my mind!!!

Thanks again to Carol! 

Check out Sheppey Rocks: https://www.facebook.com/groups/19662506102795