Woman Hides Painted Rocks Around Town To Spread Sunshine, Cheer

SOUTHOLD, NY — They've been popping up around Southold Town like so many bright bursts of sunshine or spring flowers — beautiful painted rocks, hidden around town in the hopes of lifting hearts and brightening days.

The rocks are adorned with flowers, animals, uplifting words and other painted images —and are all created by artist Marie Lanier of Southold.

Recently, Lanier, whose paintings also inspire, explained the story behind the rocks on a Facebook buy and sell page: "Many of you know that I have been painting and hiding rocks anywhere between Mattituck and Greenport. If you find one of my rocks and you love it, you are free to keep it. Or you can hide it in plain sight for someone else to find. Hopefully, it spreads smiles. Maybe one day I'll come upon one of my own rocks in an unexpected place."

Lanier hopes the rocks travel to other countries and states on new adventures.

The rocks have brought smiles to the lucky recipients who've found them — and that, Lanier said, was the goal.

"There is so much turmoil and so much conflict that sometimes I think we forget the things that are really important and that is just being kind to each other and trying to make each person's day a little bit brighter in whatever way we can. It could be something as simple as speaking to someone on the line to the supermarket and saying how much you like their sweater or just telling a friend how comforting it is to have someone that you know you can depend on," she said.

She added, "Life has gotten very complicated. It's time to make things simple again."

Lanier, an artist, began painting in her garage, rather than in her normal space down in the basement, because she wanted to be near her dog, who was sick and couldn't manage the stairs.

Since the garage setting wasn't conducive to painting on canvas, one day, she picked up a rock and began painting, she said.

"I thought, 'It takes such a little thing to brighten someone's day'. So I started taking these rocks — some had inspirational messages, birds, scenes of lighthouses — and I began hiding them around Southold," she said.

Suddenly, the search for rocks mushroomed as local residents caught on to the veritable treasure hunt.

"I started hearing from so many people on Facebook who just thought it was the neatest thing. It's just such a happy thing to do," Lanier said.

One day, she was at the post office in Southold when a woman ahead of her, who had just found a rock, was asking the person at the counter if she could keep it. The woman was told that Lanier, creator of the rocks, was standing right next to her.

"This woman I never knew before hugged me three times. She'd found a rock with a little ladybug and said finding it made her feel so good. She told me she'd been feeling a little down and that was just what she needed," Lanier said.

Lanier began painting and hiding the rocks about three months ago and so far, has shared at least 60.

"It makes me feel wonderful to spread a little cheer," she said. "It's a very simple thing — it doesn't have to be a huge thing, to change someone's mood."

Lucky recipients have reached out on Facebook to thank Lanier: "We found the sunflower one that says 'bloom'. So pretty, thank you!" one woman wrote.

"I found one that says 'Choose Happy'", another woman wrote. "I was excited! I will pass it along for someone else to find."

"My daughter found a rock and loved it," one happy dad wrote. "We didn't know the rules but we did re-hide it because it may make someone else smile. Great idea, and thank you."

Lanier wrote a poem that she's shared on Facebook:

"My Rock Poem
I'm so glad that you found me here. I hope that I can spread some cheer.
Pick me up, carry me away,
and place me somewhere else another day.
If I speak to you and you love me so
it's okay if you don't let me go.
But hopefully one day I'll find
this little rock I left behind.
M.L."

Lanier also has created an email address; she's encouraged those who find her rocks to reach out to her and share their stories at RocksbyML@gmail.com.

Lanier, who also creates bereavement teddy bears from the clothing of a lost loved one for their grieving families, just hopes to spread happiness in a world too often clouded by strife.

"There are so many people responding to this," she said. "It just seems like it's making people happy."

Photos courtesy of Marie Lanier.