In March 2017, on a chilly day in Seattle, a simple painted rock with a ladybug design changed Felice McWilliams’ mood from gloomy to joyful. That small moment of delight inspired her to launch “Making Danville Smile,” a community art project that would touch countless lives in her Virginia hometown.
“I decided I wanted to do the same thing for people in my city,” McWilliams said. The impact was immediate. Her first success story came from a young mother walking the Riverwalk Trail with her children, who discovered one of McWilliams’ painted rocks. The mother had been hoping someone would start a rock-painting movement in Danville. That chance encounter led to the family becoming regular attendees at McWilliams’ rock-painting classes, which she offers free to the community.
McWilliams’ artistic journey began long before her rock-painting initiative. As a five-year-old kindergartener, she learned to play folk songs on the Autoharp, marking the beginning of her lifelong love affair with music. Growing up in a family church, she was inspired by watching her cousin play piano and direct the choir. This early exposure led her to develop her own musical talents, learning to play piano by ear and discovering her natural gift for harmony.
Today, McWilliams’ creative pursuits span multiple disciplines. Beyond music and rock painting, she creates abstract paintings and photographs, approaching each medium with spontaneity and joy. “I love watching a canvas come to life at the power of my hand,” she said. “I get excited every time I sit to create an abstract painting. I never know what it will look like. I just let it happen.”
Her commitment to community enrichment extends to education. As a special instructor in the STEAM program at Stoney Creek Elementary, McWilliams teaches art projects that align with the science curriculum, helping young minds explore creativity through structured learning. “I love watching the creativity of children unfold,” she shared.
McWilliams strongly believes in the therapeutic value of arts and culture in maintaining community mental health. This belief drives her to offer free art classes, making creative outlets accessible to more people. “Every community needs creative outlets for people to enjoy,” she explained. “Giving the community ways to achieve less stress in their lives.”
For her creative process, McWilliams maintains a clear perspective on its purpose. Her songwriting is dedicated to glorifying God, while her art and photography serve as personal therapy and documentation of life’s moments. “Pictures are the best way to track your life,” she said. “It’s a big bonus for me when others enjoy my music, art, and photography.”
Looking ahead, McWilliams dreams of supporting other artists on their journeys. She’s passionate about curating exhibitions and helping artists step into the public eye. Her personal goals include recording an album and hosting a solo exhibition in the coming year.
To aspiring creatives, McWilliams offers wisdom gained from experience: “Stay focused on your likes for your creative outlets and process. Do the work for you. As soon as your creativity becomes a chore, it ceases to be helpful and becomes a job. Stay true to you!”
McWilliams encourages community support through attendance at exhibitions, purchasing original local art, and taking part in arts and cultural events. Through her diverse artistic endeavors and community initiatives, she continues to prove that beautiful things can indeed be created from nothing—and that sometimes, all it takes is a painted rock to start a movement of joy and creativity in a community.
