As simple as it may sound, painted rocks are brightening individuals’ days.

Adults and children are bringing joy and inciting smiles through hand-painted decorative rocks. Nationally, it’s called the Kindness Rocks Project. Here in town, it’s known as Fountain Hills Rocks.

The Kindness Rocks project was founded by Megan Murphy of Cape Cod, Mass., in 2015. She was walking along the beach when she found a heart-shaped stone.

A life coach, she left a career as a retail business owner after 15 years in search of a more meaningful way to spend her days.

She started by “painting and dropping a few rocks at a time, when something amazing happened. I began receiving messages from strangers about how much the rocks they found meant to them.

“So I stepped up my rock painting and added social media, a website and encouraged others to join me.”

The activity is easy: paint a rock, leave it in plain sight or hide it. If you find a rock, take a photo and post it on Facebook and re-hide it or create a design of your own.

Every rock is different. Some rocks have inspirational sayings. Some have simple decorations. Others resemble works of art. On Saturday morning, Sept. 9, nearly 40 individuals attended the “Rock the Hills” rock painting class at Sami Fine Jewelry.

Owner Stephanie Bjorkman provided the rocks, acrylic craft paint, sequins, glue, stencils and preservative sealer.

“I never thought I would pay $30 for rocks,” commented Bjorkman, who bought a bag of assorted white rocks from Amazon. She encouraged guests to “pick a rock (shape) that talks to you.”

The paintings were as diverse as the women and children in attendance. Eight-year-old Addison Banning, who came with her mother Tracy, painted a picture of her dog on her first rock.

Lisa Marino expressed her creativity by painting the eye of Hurricane Irma on a natural rock she brought from home.

Rachel Schmitzer, who expects her first child on Valentine’s Day, selected pink paint for a baby girl figure on one side. The opposite side of the rock would be blue with a baby boy.

“Some people might laugh that this is stupid or people have too much time on their hands. I disagree,” wrote Christine Kleile Martin on the Fountain Hills Rocks Facebook page. “I was so excited when I found my first rock. It put a smile on my face that wasn't there that day. It cheered me up when the day was not my best.”

Martin said she likes the idea of circulating the rocks to people she has never met.

“It connects us,” she said. “It makes me smile and I hope it does the same for others, especially with all the negativity going on around us. I hope the rocks bring as much joy to others as it does for me.”

Since the movement began, Ruby Moreno said

she walks more often and sees “the beauty that surrounds me in this town.”

“I don’t mind not finding any rocks at all,” said Moreno. “I’m opening my eyes and seeing what’s real and I’m grateful for that. If you open your eyes, you will see the beauty beyond the rock.”