The Register-Herald, Beckley, West Virginia

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July 12, 2008

Strokes of imagination

Rocks, fabric become canvasses for Beaver artist

By Bev Davis

By Bev Davis

Register-Herald senior Editor

Out behind Freda Thompson’s home, there’s an ever-growing collection of rocks. There are big rocks, little rocks and rocks with odd shapes and sizes.

One might see them and think the 87-year-old Beaver woman is planning to have someone build a wall, barbecue pit or a stone fireplace.

Nope.

This talented lady will turn them into works of art.

“I’ve always loved painting, but I never had much of a chance to do it until I had my family raised. I took a few classes, and it just all grew from that,” Thompson said.

Some of the rocks feature paintings of scenes — her church, landscapes and the like.

The most fascinating, however, are animals.

“I just look at the rock for a while, and when I decide what it’s going to be, that’s what I paint,” she said.

With her skillful hands, some acrylics and a brush, a small oval rock becomes a baby bunny. A large, uneven rock becomes a dog’s head. A smooth angular shape becomes a sad-eyed basset hound.

One has to look closely to realize a bright red tropical bird is really a long slender rock with a highly uneven texture turned upright.

Owls are among her favorite things to paint, and Thompson has lined a stairway with her wide-eyed wise birds — all made from — you guessed it — rocks.

“People have started bringing me rocks. I have a big collection of them now. I have to wait until an idea strikes me before I go to work on a new rock,” she said.

Although visitors are captivated with the rock paintings, Thompson is obviously happier with her quilts, many of which are made from original designs.

A full bed-sized wall hanging featuring symbols of West Virginia won her a Best of Show from the Beckley Art Group.

One of her favorite quilts featuring pictures of familiar Bible stories has the unique distinction of having been painted.

“I got pictures that are used for embroidery, but instead of using thread, I used paint,” she said, displaying such scenes as Ruth gleaning the fields, Noah’s Ark, Baby Moses, Samson, Jacob’s dream and others.

“Painting on fabric is easier than painting on the rocks,” Thompson said. “I find acrylics on cotton work well.”

Another quilt features original designs of the symbols of her faith — a Communion cup and wafer, Joseph’s coat of many colors, the hand of God and a cross, to name only a few.

An active member of the Blue Jay United Methodist Church, Thompson has taught Sunday School for 35 years and has been involved in many of the church’s organizations, including its United Methodist Women.

She memorialized the group by making quilt patterns to represent each member and stitching their names beneath each face.

“I’m not a professional,” she said. “I just get wrapped up in whatever I’m doing and forget everything else. This is wonderful for my health. It keeps me busy, and it’s something I really enjoy doing.”

— E-mail: bdavis@register-herald.com

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