Mother treasures a heart of stone Fine art photo inspired by family keepsake ASHLEY FITZPATRICK The Telegram

At the Polyanna Art and Antique Gallery, photographer Gillian Warrick shows the stone that inspired her photograph “Stone With Heart.” — Photo by Ashley Fitzpatrick/The Telegram

The rock Gillian Warrick holds in her hand at the Polyanna Art and Antique Gallery in St. John's has been with her family for about 20 years. The rock now also sits at the centre of an art photo created by Warrick entitled "Stone with Heart."

The grey stone, with a natural heart shape embedded in one side, was discovered by Warrick and her two daughters during a walk along Middle Cove beach.

Warrick said the discovery was made when her daughters, Hilary and Caroline, were very young and the family was living in Middle Cove.

"From that day, this became our 'special stone' which was carefully looked after and accounted for, especially during family moves," she said.

One of those moves took the family to Nova Scotia between 16 and 17 years ago.

"When we moved to Nova Scotia, our precious Middle Cove stone was always on constant display," said Warrick.

She described the stone as a symbol of love and connection - one which others seemed to identify with as much as her own family had.

Moving back to St. John's a year and a half ago, Warrick set out to Middle Cove to create a picture of the stone on the beach where it was found, to send to her daughters who remained on the mainland.

"From my perspective, (the photo) is really just the simplicity and beauty of what you can find in nature that you can so easily miss," Warrick said.

Seeing the finished product, Warrick's friends and both of her daughters encouraged her to consider printing and selling the photo as an art piece, she said.

"I've always had a keen interest in photography, but I've never done anything commercially," said Warrick, who brought the print to Dick Green at Polyanna Art and Antiques.

"I thought it was a great picture," said Green of his first impression of the calming concentric circles of colourful pebbles that pack the image.

"It breaks a major rule of photography by having the subject (in this case the heart rock) in the centre of the photo," he said, "but the heart should be in the centre."

Warrick had, "Stone with Heart," printed in 1,500 copies in each of two sizes to be sold through the gallery. To celebrate the completion of the project, the photographer will be joined by her daughters at a launch event at the gallery (at 214 Duckworth Street) on Saturday from 3-5 p.m.

In addition to "Stone with Heart," copies of a new Newfoundland and Labrador perpetual calendar, featuring photos from Warrick, will be available for the first time.

The calendar was designed by Sarah Hansen and was printed in the province by Dicks and Co.

Warrick hopes to also make the photo available at art and craft stores throughout the city and potentially the province.

afitzpatrick@thetelegram.com