This month the very rocks we walk on are ablaze with amazing colors and magical shapes. All this can be seem in the October issue of the national magazinne Rock and Gem, in an article by Carol Brown and Ed Gafford. The article is entitled "Hidden Images in Common Rocks". This article grew out of the art workshops Brown and Gafford give in the Ventura County schools. Grades 3 to 12 enjoy these art workshop in dozens of schools. The ooo's and awaw's can be heard in the classroom when a child looks through the micro- scope at the wonderful, and colorful polarized images. Most of the common geologic specimens we encounter in the field such as limestone, dolomite, and gypsum are not the gem quality samples we often seek. If we take one of these common looking minerals, recrystallize it, and look at it through polarizing filters, we will see an exciting image of glorious colors and interesting shapes that rival the best art hanging in the museums and galleries of the world. Each new recrystallized sample displays an almost endless variety of new colors and shapes for us to enjoy. Not only rocks and minerals display these colors and shapes, but in fact all solids have these optical characteristics. In the school workshops the children work with common items from around the house such as vitamins, food stuffs, and medicines they take for a headache. They learn to make slides of the vitamins they take everyday. After the slides are made the students learn how to view them with optical filters, on light tables and under the microscope. The next step is to draw these amazing abstract images. This is often the best part of our art class because they now have a permanent record of the wonderful images they have made and drawn, These can be shared with family and friends. The simple technique of recrystallization is explained in the article. Also, making the slides, viewing and photographic setup of samples is also covered. All these procedures can easily be done at your kitchen table. In addition, a recrystallization / polarizing kit is available from our web site, www.amasterofmagic.com/art.