CRESTON, Iowa Freedom Rock Artist Ray Bubba Sorensen is painting the Union County Freedom Rock this week.This Rock will be Sorensens 25th Freedom Rock in Iowa. The original Freedom Rock was painted near Greenfield.

This Creston Rock will by tribute to different eras Theres gonna World War II, Korea, and Viet Nam, said Sorensen. Then theres gonna be a war on terror, and then on the front side is gonna be an eagle and flag. He added there will also be a Prisoner of War tribute on this rock.What the Union County people wanted to do was stay general and pay tribute to each recent era of military service, said Sorensen.

The Freedom Rock Tour plans to see a rock in each of Iowas 99 Counties. The projects have Sorensen booked up into at last the year 2019. Got some interest in other states, heard from Ohio,Montana, Pennsylvania, and Texas. Sorensen says hed like to complete Iowa before going to other states. Id definitely like to take it on a 50 state tour, he said.

The Freedom Rock has spawned a new tourism destination. The idea is to have one in each of Iowas 99 counties. But there have been smaller tours already organized based on region. such as Freedom Rocks of Southwest Iowa, or Northwest Iowa. Some people will take a bus and spend the day touring the Freedom Rock sites.

Each Freedom Rock takes the better part of a week to paint. That can mean long hours with a canvas tent over the rock. Sorensen has to step back once in a while to get some focus on the over all look. There are visitors who stop by to thank him for his work.

With so much Freedom Rock work waiting, Sorensen says. I kind of have to crack the whip on myself, obviously these things dont paint themselves, so I gotta kind of keep at it.

In the winter the Iowa artist works on indoor paintings, and does speaking at schools, Legion Halls, and schools. He is asked to tell the story of how he started doing the original Freedom Rock as a tribute to veterans. After seeing the movie Saving Private Ryan, he wanted to do something to pay tribute to veterans. He painted a 60 ton rock with a new mural each Memorial Day weekend.

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Artist Painting Freedom Rock in Creston