Aimee Murrin, like many in the Facebook group Sequim Rocks, is fairly new to the art form. Now it’s become a form of therapy following some significant treatments for the Sequim woman.

She moved in May 2015 with no family or friends from Everett to help out at Sequim Domino’s. She found solace though after picking up some rocks and a new hobby — painting rocks.

“Painting rocks to me is a huge creative outlet,” she said.

Murrin noticed right away feeling happier and more vibrant while she sought new ideas and challenged herself to match the art in her mind to palette or pebble.

In the Sequim Rocks online group, people paint and post photos of their rocks with the hope that people find them and post a photo of the rock and in turn hide it again. Murrin considers herself crafty but not a painter so she was hesitant to post photos of her rocks.

“But obviously I bit the bullet,” she said.

Not long after she began painting, Murrin was diagnosed with cancer on her cervix and endometriosis, where tissue that lines the inside of a uterus instead grows outside the uterus.

Doctors opted for a radical hysterectomy removing Murrin’s uterus, ovaries and cer-vix on June 23 leaving with her a lot of time to work on rocks but not the ability to work.

“It’s been quite a struggle, but I’m still painting,” she said.

To compensate for lost time at work, she’s asked for financial assistance at www.gofundme.com/AMurrin for everyday things such as rent, replacement hormone medicines and more to offset lost time.

About three weeks since the surgery, Murrin has attempted to go back to work in fear of missing bills.

She said “standing for more than three hours gets rough and is not the 50 hours a week I am used to.”

She’s also lost some use in her right hand but continues to press on, Murrin said.

Through it all, Murrin said painting rocks isn’t about being perfect.

“It’s not really even about the rock or the design,” she said. “It’s about how it makes (the artist) feel to do it. It’s about leaving their stress behind for a while, enjoying time with their loved ones (if they do it with their family).”

Styles among local artists vary from cartoon characters to abstract to Murrin’s, which she says is simple.

“Most of the stuff I paint is inspired off everyday objects, such as a design off a Post-It note, or I’ll see something that I like and try to do a simplified, often silhouetted version of it,” she said.

Seeing people post a photo of her art gives her a good feeling.

“Seeing that people were genuinely excited to find something I had painted is so flattering,” she said.

Finding a rock feels great too, she says.

“I don’t care if it’s a genius work of art or a misshapen circle, the joy of finding something that someone else created is amazing,” Murrin said.

“And if they’re considering painting rocks, they will spread that same joy.”

Murrin said her favorite rock is simple — a tiny turquoise rock with a pink heart and an X on it.

“It’s not fancy or detailed, but it speaks to me,” she said.

Through that, Murrin said she’s found a fun community to be a part of it.

Again, to read Murrin’s story and to support her, visit www.gofundme.com/AMurrin.

For more on Sequim Rocks, visit Facebook and search “Sequim Rocks.”

Reach Matthew Nash at mnash@sequimgazette.com.