For Richard Stocker of Independence Township, his art is meant to be shared.
There’s lots of sharing at Art Prize in Grand Rapids.
“It’s the biggest art show on Earth,” said Stocker, whose acrylic painting “Map of the Dance” is on display in Humanity Boutique’s front window downtown.
“It’s the main painting in their window ? we’re excited,” said Cathy Shap, Stocker’s partner.
“It’s a great place, a nice way to share what I’m doing,” Stocker said. “I don’t care for formal galleries.”
The artist started the 11?-by-4?-foot “Map of the Dance” piece while he was living in Costa Rica several years ago.
“Quite a few bars on the beach had these big white wall, and I had the urge to decorate them,” he said. “They were delighted with them.”
He decided to hang up a piece of canvas for his own work of art and has been working on it ever since. He had it shipped with him when he moved to New Mexico, then here to Independence Township a couple years ago.
“The painting is an expression of the dynamic movement of energy within me, and the impact that different places and my wandering nature have had upon that energy,” he said.
Viewers have told him they see the bright lights of the city through a wet windshield, head dresses of dancing native people celebrating the dawn, the sea, and moon, he said.
“I can’t tell you how much fun it is to do this,” he said. “It’s easy ? like when choosing the next color, it says, ‘do this.’ It’s almost like it’s talking to me. It’s my teacher, my master. You have to enjoy the time it takes.”
Some black brushstrokes were among the last elements added to the painting.
“The brush said, ‘give me some depth,'” Stocker said. “That’s the thrill of making decisions. It’s exciting.”
His next project will be even bigger. He set up a large piece of canvas in the basement at Picasso’s on Main Street, which he’ll work on over the winter.
Stocker and Shap met at Clarkston Farmers Market, where the artist was exhibiting his photography.
A writer, poet, and teacher, Shap thought the photos would work well in her classes.
“We started talking about the benefits of coloring ? that’s what we want in Clarkston,” she said. “Our ultimate dream is for everyone to color together at the same time.”
Stocker was creating works of art for coloring for a hospital room where his 5-year-old son, Santi, was battling Leukemia.?
“Soon, other cancer patients and families were coloring the designs that Richard started to call’sparks of life,” Shap said. “Over the next five years of Santi’s illness, Richard shared his art and coloring pens with cancer families and others in need throughout Costa Rica and the United States.”
The pair found coloring not only helped people in dire circumstances, but also provided relief to people dealing with everyday stress and worry.
‘When we color with people, we give them a chance to breathe easy even in the midst of intensity, and this allows for self-awareness and compassion,? Stocker said.
‘Coloring isn’t kids? stuff,? Shap said.
They created The Coloring Well, designs for adults to color.
‘My designs are not about perfection as are so many mandalas. They are organic expressions of movement, and they ease people back into a flow,? said Stocker, who has been a painter and photographer since the age of 10.
“We’ve been working with coloring as a healing and stress management tool for more than 10 years,” Shap said. “Our coloring programs and products show a much deeper understanding of why coloring works and the ideal way to present it to adults. Participants in our gatherings consistently report feelings of relaxation, compassion, generosity, and appreciation as a result of coloring.? ?
The couple’s coloring boxes can be found at the University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA), Crazy Wisdom Books in Ann Arbor, Essence on Main in Clarkston, and will soon be carried by Whole Foods.
“We felt it’s very much an adult gift,” Shap said. “Not a coloring book, but something you can put back into the box when you’re done.”
They have brought coloring into high-security prisons, juvenile delinquent, senior citizen and cancer centers, as well as to survivors of sexual abuse, mindfulness classes, business professionals, and graduate students.
‘In the last several months many reports can be found on the benefits of coloring in popular national publications like Huff Post and The Christian Science Monitor,? she said.
The couple will host a coloring event for adults at UMMA on Nov. 6. For more information, check www.thecoloringwell.com and www.artprize.org/richard-stocker.