There have been reports in Brecon of brightly painted pebbles and rocks being discovered around the town. Fyi:Brecon did some research and discovered that the initiative was masterminded by local resident Jane Oates (pictured above). We caught up with her over the weekend and she told us what inspired Brecon Rocks and how it all works.
Jane Oates:
I decided to start Brecon Rocks following a trip to Devon at the beginning of May. My mum discovered a tiny painted stone hidden beneath a rope swing in a park. It was inscribed with the words Devon Rocks and Stones fb. I searched Facebook and found a huge community of people hiding and swapping painted stones, thousands of them. Like most crazes, it seems to have started in America but, for once, there was no commercial value in it and it didn’t involve a smartphone or tablet!
I’ve been a long-time lover of Geocaching so the thought of a free game of hide and seek really got my attention. I realised after searching some more that Brecon hadn’t started a group so I thought, why don’t I do it?! I finally persuaded the kids to join me, and we spent three hours on a sunny Saturday afternoon painting up our first batch.
Initially we got it a bit wrong. Our paint bubbled when it rained, and pictures got smudged, but I think we have finally found the right medium and varnish to create little masterpieces that should at least last the summer if not longer. I say little masterpieces, but it could be anything really. As long as you enjoy what you’re painting, it doesn’t really matter.
I’ve bought three large tubes of acrylic paint which we can mix any colour we want. I have also purchased a few permanent black marker pens to keep me painting within the lines. But that’s about it; the only other thing you need is a stash of stones.
I’m hoping that children and grown-ups enjoy this activity over the summer months, and hopefully beyond. The more people that join in, the more stones we have to find. I’m also hoping as people jet off on their holidays, that they will take a little bit of Brecon Rock in their suitcases so that we can spread the name of Brecon across the seas!
Fyi:Note
Follow Brecon Rocks on Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/201899460450484/about/
More stories