GREENFIELD Ray Bubba Sorensen II, artist of the Freedom Rock in Adair County, has begun painting for the 16th year. In honor of Memorial Day, Sorensen repaints this 12-foot tall, approximately 60 ton national landmark to pay tribute to military men and women.

Sorensen started painting the original Freedom Rock the week of May 5.

This year Sorensen will be using a different type of paint, the same paint used on the Iowa Freedom Rock tour.

In order to use this specialty paint, Sorensen had the entire Freedom Rock sandblasted.

It was bittersweet to see all of those years sandblasted, Sorensen said, but Im really excited to showcase some new and different styles in my artwork with the paint Im going to use.

The only section not sandblasted was the north side of The Freedom Rock, which features the green Huey Helicopter containing the remains of nearly 60 different Vietnam Veterans.

Although it is Sorensens 16th annual year of painting the original Freedom Rock, this is Sorensens second year on the Iowa Freedom Rock Tour.

This year, Sorensen has already painted Freedom Rocks in Audubon County in Kimballton and Hancock County in Britt.

This year, Sorensen will make stops in Carroll County Manning, Jasper County Sully, Marion County Knoxville, Guthrie County Guthrie Center, Calhoun County Rockwell City, Page County Clarinda, Taylor County Blockton and Wapello County Ottumwa.

Sorensen is not commissioned for his work on the original Freedom Rock in Menlo, but works as an independent mural artist for the Iowa Freedom Rock tour. Sorensen is only able to complete about 10 rocks per year, because of scheduling and weather.

See original here:

Sorensen begins painting The Freedom Rock