Ruatōria artist helps replenish stocks of 'beautiful rocks' at Hospice Tairāwhiti

Zena Crean, from Dots on Rocks Aotearoa and Jane Kibble, Hospice Tairāwhiti volunteer coordinator, with some of the rocks Zena has created to replenish supplies at the hospice building. Picture by Liam Clayton

The staff and volunteers of Hospice Tairāwhiti, who offer support to those in need, last year were recipients of painted rocks which were designed with messages of hope, support and aroha.

Zena Crean from Dots on Rocks Aotearoa, held a workshop with 40 primary school students participating in the Aurora leadership programme. The theme for 2022 was Step Up – And Serve. With this in mind the special artworks were donated to Hospice Tairāwhiti with the hope that the colourful rocks would brighten the lives of palliative care patients and their families.

The rocks were placed throughout the hospice building for patients and their families to access — some in baskets in the family/whānau room,  some on shelves and table tops throughout the facility. The rocks are there to pick up, touch, feel and hold.

Hospice team members also incorporated the painted rocks in their specialised areas of work in therapy sessions, workshops or patient/whānau consultations. Some of the rocks were put in the garden area, for patients and their families to discover in the calming environment of nature.

Hospice Tairāwhiti volunteer coordinator Jane Kibble said, “It has been amazing to see patients and their families gravitate towards the beautiful rocks and make connections with the different designs. Each rock means something different to each person — they really offer hope and reassurance during difficult times. Having the rocks spread around the different areas means they have been readily accessible for whānau to take home, and our baskets of rocks have become empty.”

At Empower You, the woman’s community event last month, Jane reconnected with Zena from Dots on Rocks Aotearoa and  told her how the donated rocks had made such a difference in the lives of many but that now their baskets were now empty.

Zena, a self-taught artist, lives in Ruatōria. Her immediate response was, “I’ll do some more and bring them in.”

With whakapapa to both Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngā Tahu iwi, Zena moved from the South Island in January last year, with husband Stephen, to take up positions at Ngata Memorial College in Ruatōria. An unexpected and surprising journey for Zena was to discover a new-found passion and a flair for painting. The process of gathering and painting rocks has unfolded as a medium for self-healing, to connect with whakapapa and to share her gift with others.

“I started painting mandala in April 2022 after some recent losses and as a way to process my pain and triggers of past trauma. I wanted to practise a mindfulness activity to help manage my anxiety and depression, which are by-products of my diagnosis of fibromyalgia,” said Zena.

The process of gathering and painting the rocks is filled with a sense of reverence and respect for mauri ora;  the life essence and wairua (spirit) will flourish with ideas and connections.

Zena gathers rocks from an area extending from Te Araroa to Waimarama in Hawke’s Bay.

Her passion is to create intricate mandala designs that are intrinsically linked to the process of healing, a sense of wellbeing and wellness.

“A mandala begins in the centre as a dot, which is you, the pou, and each ring represents whakapapa. Painting them is a creative journey and healing process. It is my hope when people connect with one that they will feel uplifted with a sense of hope and strength — that they have something to hold on to,” Zena said.