Ivan Graham spreads joy with Halifax Rocks

In 2017, Ivan Graham from Stillwater Lake, N.S., embarked on a mission to spread smiles across Halifax – by painting rocks. Little did he know then that his idea would grow into a heartwarming community project known as “Halifax Rocks.”

He’d been inspired by a CBC article about a similar project in Winnipeg, and although he didn’t consider himself an artist, Ivan decided to give it a try anyway, using paint he had around the house as a base coat and oil paint pens for the designs. He hasn’t looked back. “I liked the concept of putting a painted rock out in the wild and making someone smile,” he says. Ivan created a Facebook page to post photos of the rocks he painted so others could join in the fun.

“It’s nice to see them posted back to the Facebook group,” says Ivan. “However, in my experience, only about one in 10 gets posted back to the page.”

“If it’s a painted rock from Halifax Rocks, it will usually have ‘keep or re-hide’ marked on it,” Ivan says. People are free to re-hide the rock in a different area or to take it home to add to their collection or put in their garden. “Some rocks may have instructions to leave in place.”

“Some of my favourites are rocks that have travelled to other places and those that inspire others. It puts smiles on people’s faces when they come across one.”

The Halifax Regional Municipality has several places to go look for painted rocks, including “Jake the Snake” in Eastern Passage, another rock snake in Lower Sackville or the “Fairy Trail” off Lacewood Drive. “Any park or trail may have painted rocks, or look along the waterfront,” Ivan says. For those interested in a bit of a scavenger hunt, the Halifax Rocks Facebook group is a good place to find information about where the rocks might be hidden. (Don’t forget to read the rules posted on the page.)

Halifax Rocks has become more than just a hobby for Ivan; it’s a community initiative. If you want to start your own “rock community,” Ivan says, “Just do it! And be patient; it takes a year or two to really get it off the ground.”

Ivan suggests using rocks found along the roadside, in parks or on trails. Alternatively, they can be purchased from garden stores or landscaping suppliers. Don’t take rocks from beaches – it’s illegal and bad for the beaches’ ecosystems. Use whatever paint you have on hand. Then have fun hiding them.

“I think it’s a great activity. You get to be a bit creative, and it’s good exercise carrying the rocks around and hiding them in parks or trails.”

“I enjoy the smiles of the kids and folks that come across the rocks,” Ivan says. When asked what he hopes this movement of painting rocks will create, he simply says, “Spread kindness.”

In a world where kindness sometimes feels in short supply, Halifax Rocks stands as a testament that a small act of creativity can spread joy far and wide.