When the pandemic forced the shut down of playgrounds in 91原创 this past Spring it sparked creativity for these 91原创 grandparents who found themselves picking up a paint brush to help keep the local kids occupied.
Herb and Cherri Kwan鈥檚 home backs onto to Routley Park in Willoughby, and when the City of 91原创 announced the closure of playgrounds in April to help curb the spread of the virus they noticed the kids were looking for something to do.
鈥淭he kids were just kind of wandering around, not having anything to do,鈥� Cherri recalled. 鈥淪o we thought, well, let鈥檚 just paint up a few rocks, and we鈥檒l put them out in the park. So we did that, and they would disappear, and then the kids would come and search around for rocks again.鈥�
The treasure hunting evolved and the couple began hanging the decorated rocks in a container strung to a tree with a note that encouraged the young explores to leave a rock in place of one.
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鈥淎nd so it almost became self-sustaining,鈥� Cherri said. 鈥淵ou could hear them (the kids) coming down the pathway so excited to see what was left, you know, in the little box of painted rocks.鈥�
Kids from as young as three to eight years old exercised their creativity in the early stages of the pandemic, Cherri said, whose artistry notably evolved.
鈥淏ut it was very interesting, you know, just watching and seeing the progression of their artwork鈥� they started off with just like a little sticker on a rock,鈥� she described. 鈥滲ut it evolved so that they were actually painting hearts and worms and messages 鈥� inspiring little messages.鈥�
But once the parks re-opened in June the Kwan鈥檚 decided to forgo the painting project for the kids and took on larger, more intricate illustrations.
鈥淲e just started experimenting and and it鈥檚 kind of evolved and become a little business,鈥� Cherri said.
The couple now have clients commission artwork such as painting portraits of their pets.
Cherri, a retired designer, and Herb a retired architect, called the rock painting project a hobby the two could do together.
鈥淎nd we just love it,鈥� Cherri said.
She estimates it takes about three days for her to complete her larger animal paintings, while Herb鈥檚 paintings can take as long as a week to complete.
鈥淭he ones that Herb does 鈥� his are the architectural ones with the straight lines and precision, and they take quite a bit longer,鈥� Cherri said.
And a notable piece Herb recalls completing was 鈥楩orbidden City,鈥� a first in what he said is a tour of China series.
Herb has called the experience 鈥渞ewarding and humbling.鈥� The couple鈥檚 Instagram account has gained nearly 600 followers.
鈥淲e鈥檙e retired, obviously, and given the fact that we鈥檙e older, we鈥檙e worried and we鈥檙e super cautious about going out,鈥� Herb said. 鈥淪o we spend a lot of our time indoors and at home. And so we have a lot of time on our hands鈥�
The pair credit their kids for helping them get their work online.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e showing a mastery of painting and illustration that neither I, nor my husband, realized they possessed,鈥� said their daughter-in-law Bernadette Amiscaray.
鈥淭hey鈥檝e always been creative busy-bodies, which has been a trickle-down blessing for their eight grandkids, but we see that their rock creations have allowed for an elevated and fulfilling form of personal expression. It鈥檚 pretty inspiring.鈥�
Herb and Cherri鈥檚 creations can be viewed online at .
joti.grewal@blackpress.ca
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