Why “River Rock”?

My passion is to bring a little touch of original art and beauty into someone’s life using my creativity. Handpainted glass ornaments my specialty, featuring commissioned ornaments to commemorate life’s special occasions. I also paint Christmas ornaments with traditional designs of all sorts (think snowmen, Santa, snowflakes), SC Palmetto art. Baby’s First Christmas ornaments. Anything you can think of I can paint on an ornament! I also do calligraphy art, calligraphy for wedding invitations, drawings and watercolor and acrylic painting. It’s important for me to share why I feel so blessed to use the talents God has given me. Also, I want to share why my business name is “River Rock Calligraphy and Design”. 

I’m a creative person….it’s always come out in different ways throughout my whole life. As I’m writing this , I am reflecting on the 14th anniversary of a life changing event for me. It has changed the entire trajectory of my life. Wednesday, July 6, 2005 will always stand for me as a milepost. For I know it is only by the grace of God through His provision that a nine year old girl, Laurel Massey and I are alive today. I wrote these words and the account of our rescue from a near death experience above Rainbow Falls less than a week after it happened. To make a long story short, Laurel slipped and fell in the Horsepasture River, I went in after her, we both got caught in a hydraulic underneath the water created from the strong current and nearly drowned. but Laurel was finally able to get her head above water and hold onto the granite wall. Rescue was provided in the form of a very large branch being held by a bystander, Mike Fuller, who came to our rescue. Praise God that Laurel was able to release her grasp on the rock, overcome her fear of letting go and reach out for that branch. After she was rescued, Mike went into the dangerous current and grabbed me by the edge of my shorts as the current was carrying me down toward the 125”Rainbow Falls. At this point, I did not want to be rescued, because I knew Laurel was no longer beside me and I thought she had been drowned or swept over the falls. So….we had a most amazing rescue from certain death- a true modern-day miracle, I’ll always believe. 

I am a Christian, and I claim the truth found in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18- “Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”I knew from the moment of my rescue that my life was going to be different going forward. One of the many sweet blessings I’ve experienced as a result of living my life abundantly and with thanksgiving to God is that He spoke to me about being creative….and why wasn’t I doing more with it. Thus came the birth of River Rock Calligraphy and Design in 2006. I have had the opportunity to use my talent to teach art to children and do some special gifts and projects through the years. I would love to create something special for you!If you would like to read my complete testimony of July 6,2005, please go to www.ncwaterfalls.com and find the link to the Horsepasture River/Rainbow Falls.~A final word-Please be careful when exploring near rivers above and around waterfalls…an ordinary day can turn deadly in an instant. Several people have died at Rainbow Falls this summer alone. It still gives me a pause- a bit of survivor’s guilt-whenever a hear of another tragedy. We were so very fortunate.