Some people spent their Sunday afternoon basking in nature with fish, sky and rocks at Mackerel Sky Gallery, 217 Ann St.

Maureen Gray's "Heart's Soul" exhibit opened Sunday during the First Sunday Gallery Walk. Her exhibit will be on display until May 22. Most art galleries feature a reception for new exhibits during the first Sunday of every month.

From Ishpeming, Mich., the gallery's featured artist brought stones that tell stories of the years they've been on the Earth. The rocks — from Israeli Alabaster to African Wonderstone — are taken from her world travels. Gray gave the stones shape and a texture that flows with their natural beauty. She started carving when she was 12.

Gray's sister, Jeannine Stanaway, came to see her exhibit and said her unique style set her apart early on.

"Anything she did added to our family because she had such a different perspective," Stanaway said.

She said her sister sees something special in what someone else would view as merely a rock.

But Gray said she is not the one who determines what the final product will look like.

"I allow the stone to tell me what it's going to be," she said.

Gray said her craft has connected her to the earth in a direct way.

"I like the depth of the stone and the simplicity," she said. "By sculpting, I'm more in tune with the planet."

She wants people who come to see her carvings to see the age-old beauty in the rocks.

"If they can look at my work and see a stone as a part of life, I've really accomplished my goal," Gray said.

Andrea and Matt Echelberger frequent the First Sunday Gallery Walk every month. They came to the gallery to see Gray's Lavender Soapstone, Pink Alabaster and Chickadee creations. Matt Echelberger was especially interested in the exhibit because he said it's rare to see a sculpture exhibit in East Lansing.

"There's so much beautiful work — such a tremendous variety," he said.

Andrea Echelberger was surprised by the scale of the rocks. She liked "the smoothness of the pieces and some of the colors."