Washougal residents Kathy Dering and Rich Beck have operated The Paint Roller — a mobile business that offers “paint party” activities at birthday celebrations, special events and local schools and businesses — since 2015.
“We really enjoy working with kids,” Beck said. “We talk about it all the time — when we do paint parties for adults, they’re like, ‘Oh, this is not very good, I don’t know what I’m doing’ and all of that, but with kids, they’re excited. (They say), ‘Look at this — this is cool.’ And it’s just wonderful.”
Now, the business owners have helped create something the entire city can enjoy using children’s art as an inspiration.
On May 14, Dering and Beck joined Washougal city leaders at a ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrating the opening of the Washougal Children’s Rock Garden, the city’s first interactive public art installation created by children.
“It’s so thrilling,” Dering said. “I’m so excited because it took a lot of (work) to get done.”