Peek-a-Boo: Kensington Native Launches Rock Painting-and-Hiding Group Before Halloween by Erin DeGregorio

If you’re walking around Kensington, keep your eyes peeled for a surprise sitting by a tree trunk or fire hydrant. Residents have been hiding and discovering homemade, painted rocks in public places around the neighborhood.

This initiative is one branch of The Kindness Rocks Project that has captivated multiple U.S. and international cities since its inception in Massachusetts in August 2015. A woman, who chose to remain anonymous at the time, began collecting rocks from a beach after her parents died. She said the rocks served as a personal source of inspiration, and thought they could be the same for others as well.

Sara-Sun Cangelosi, the manager of Acme Dog Run (a family-owned dog daycare in Gowanus) who was born and raised in Kensington, moved back to her old neighborhood over the summer. She lived in Bay Ridge for the past 13 years and was a member of the public Bay Ridge Rocks! Facebook group that was created in January 2017.

Members of that South Brooklyn neighborhood have written uplifting messages like “Someone out there feels better because you exist” and “You are my sunshine,” drawn images like smiling butterflies and vibrantly colored hearts,” and hidden them in parks and by local businesses’ storefronts. At just two months old, the Bay Ridge Rocks page had more than 430 members; it had approximately 4,200 members as of Oct. 28, 2021.

“Bay Ridge Rocks has been such a joyful and positive experience for me,” Cangelosi explained. “It’s helped me destress by painting, enabled me to meet so many neighbors that I would of likely never had contact with, and allowed me to help in spreading joy and smiles to strangers – something we all need!”

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“My absolute favorite rock is the first rock I found that currently sits in a bowl on my coffee table [which was hand-painted by Bay Ridge Rocks! co-founder Rana Abu-Sbaih],” Cangelosi added. “I have Rana to thank for the joy of neighborhood rock painting groups!”

Over the past four years, Cangelosi has painted dozens of rocks and hidden them throughout Bay Ridge and beyond – including in Florida and several different states while driving cross country, at Alex Grey’s Chapel of Sacred Mirrors in upstate New York, Storm King Art Center in Orange County, and the Bronx Zoo.

When she found herself missing the art and sense of community after returning to Kensington, Cangelosi learned that a local rock group did not exist and was inspired to launch her own.

“Since moving back, I’ve noticed what an artistically centric neighborhood this is,” said Cangelosi a week before Halloween, noting how painted wooden plaques of hope were placed upon trees and handmade Halloween masks were wrapped around other trees and lamp posts. “I’m hoping rock painting will be something the neighborhood will enjoy and relish in as well.”

Since Oct. 3, when Kensington Rocks! officially went “live,” Cangelosi has painted handfuls of rocks – mostly Halloween-themed ahead of the holiday – and has hidden them throughout Kensington, Greenwood, and Windsor Terrace with her Chihuahua, Trixie. Nearly 70 people joined Kensington Rocks! as of Oct. 28, certainly cementing a newfound activity that anybody, of any age can participate in.

“The public reaction has been great,” Cangelosi said. “People seem to think it’s a great idea and anyone who’s found rocks I’ve hidden have been SO happy to find them, [which is] exactly the point.”

“Just a small handful of people have painted and hidden so far,” she continued, “but I’m sure in time that number will ramp up!”

With that said, Cangelosi’s goal is to raise awareness of the fun treasure-hunting trend, to as many neighbors as possible. “I can only hope that the positive benefits of actually painting rocks, connecting with neighbors, and giving people a reason to get out and find little treasures that I had with Bay Ridge Rocks will be shared and enjoyed here in Kensington,” Cangelosi said.

If you find a Kensington Rocks-tagged rock, you can keep it or rehide it for someone else to find. Take a photo of your creation and/or newfound treasure and post it to Facebook for everyone to see. To view and join Kensington Rocks!, search Kensington Rocks! on Facebook.