by Noeli Urud
I first started painting rocks for my grandfather’s grave when he passed in 2010. I have always had a crafty side and loved the permanency of the action. I chose to capture places he had been, activities he loved, a clearer picture of who my Grand-Papa, Dr. Nicholas Cohen, was, and the stories I had heard of him. Ever since, I have added to the collection when my family and I come back to the island over the summertime.
On one of my latest visits, I noticed a pattern that some headstones had fewer or more stones for one reason or another. And so I thought I might visit each grave individually and pay my respects by leaving a painted stone, a symbol of remembrance and renewal.
I gravitated towards ladybugs as my grandfather loved to collect trinkets of the creatures and had them all over his apartment; they are also a symbol of hope.
Over the past summer (2023), I have started filling from the South end of the cemetery – reading every name as I walked through – but there is still a lot to add. I have already recruited family and friends to join and I would invite you as well to add a few hand-painted visitation stones of your own the next time you come through the cemetery.
The Jewish Cemetery of Victoria, British Columbia 