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Exhibitionists

Calling all beachcombers! This artist has scattered 1800 painted ladybugs for you to discover

Karen Tuplin spreads sunshine and delight throughout her community in western P.E.I. with her painted creations: ladybug rocks.

Karen Tuplin spreads sunshine and delight throughout her community in P.E.I. with her painted creations

CBC Arts ·
(CBC Arts)

If this spring (a.k.a. winter) weather has you down, we've got just the remedy.

Her name is Karen Tuplin, and she spreads sunshine and delight throughout her community in western P.E.I. with her painted creations: ladybug rocks. Tuplin uses acrylic paint to turn over 1,800 rocks into colourful ladybugs, which she leaves on beaches in her community for strangers to find.

Watch the video:

Meet the artist spreading joy across the shores of P.E.I. with her painted ladybugs

7 years ago
Duration 2:11
Artist Karen Tuplin has painted over 1,800 ladybug rocks

Tuplin scatters the ladybugs anonymously, delighting in the fact that "nobody knew who it was and where they were coming from." The ladybugs are an added incentive for kids and adults alike to spend time on the beach, and for the artist, she describes the process as "good downtime, good meditation."

Last Summer, Pat Martel of CBC P.E.I. caught up with Tuplin to tag along on a ladybug scattering mission. In this video, we're bringing you an extended cut — take a closer look!

Ladybug rocks on the beach in P.E.I. (CBC Arts)
Karen Tuplin with her painted ladybug rocks. (CBC Arts)
Karen Tuplin's ladybug creations (CBC Arts)

Watch CBC Arts: Exhibitionists online or on CBC Television. Tune in Friday nights at 11:30pm (12am NT) and Sundays at 3:30pm (4pm NT).