FREEHOLD – An artist in Freehold Borough is trying to bring a positive vibe to her community through a rock painting movement.
Toni Field, who is a volunteer with the nonprofit organization Downtown Freehold, has helped to organize and lead a project in which rocks are painted and then hidden throughout the borough’s downtown district.
The rocks contain messages and/or images that Field describes as fun, inspirational and uplifting.
When a painted rock is found by an individual, that person hides the rock in a new location, according to Downtown Freehold events and marketing director Dru-Anne Palalma.
“The idea behind the kindness rocks movement is to spread kindness and brighten the days of others,” Field said. “My inspiration for this movement comes from pure gratitude and the need for kindness in this world, to give freely without expecting anything in return, to know that someone out there cares and to share my talents with others.”
Anyone who wants to participate in the rock painting may do so by joining the Facebook group NJ Rocks-MN (Monmouth County), which is located at www.facebook.com/groups/1761633184061466/
In addition to painting rocks for people to find, Field has also painted rocks for Downtown Freehold, for the Freehold Idol talent competition, for local businesses and others. She has been an artist for more than 40 years and her work has been displayed in the Freehold Art Gallery. Field also offers private painting lessons.
Field has been involved with Downtown Freehold since 2016, when she moved to Freehold Borough. She is originally from Rutherford in northern New Jersey and moved to Las Vegas when she was 7. Field lived in Las Vegas for 40 years before returning to New Jersey.
“My husband, my 12-year-old son and I decided that we wanted to be back on the east coast because it has so much to offer our family,” she said. “With great schools, community events, four seasons and the generous amount of culture, we knew this would be the right move for our family.”
During her first year in the borough, Field became acquainted with her new community and attended local events.
“During that same time frame, I was introduced to the rock painting for kindness movement and it changed my life,” she said. “I had so much gratitude in my heart for our new life here in New Jersey and I wanted to find a way to pay it forward and give back to the community.”
Field’s desire to help her community prompted her to join the NJ Rocks-MN Facebook page, for which she became an administrator, and led to her painting and hiding rocks in Freehold Borough. She said that since she joined the Facebook page, the number of members has increased from 34 to 998.
The rock painting movement inspired Field to write and illustrate “Artie and Bones: A Story of Friendship, Kindness and Creativity.”
“Artie is a dog who loves to paint and he and his friend Bones paint and hide kindness rocks in the community,” she said. “It is the first in a series of many that will use kindness rocks to tell inspirational stories related to different subjects.”
“Artie and Bones: A Story of Friendship, Kindness and Creativity” may be purchased on Amazon. Artwork from the book will be on display at the Freehold Art Gallery, 7A W. Main St., beginning Dec. 2. A book signing will take place at the gallery on Dec. 17.
A rock project will be on display at the gallery during the spring of 2018.
“I have been so inspired by our hometown of downtown Freehold and it brings me such joy to share my talents with the community,” Field said. “I am very excited about the Main Street Rock Project that will be on display in spring 2018.”