By Lisa Gentes-Hunt

One Franklin man is attempting to combat the constant stress of screens with art. Richard Rollingcross, a longtime Franklin resident and retired psychologist, has been offering children and adults an alternative to screen time with his nonprofit, the Time Away From Screens (TAFS) Foundation.

Rollingcross established the nonprofit in 2024 and is hoping to combat Nature Deficit Disorder in children. His goal is to provide educators and parents tools to ease the anxiety and mental overload that excessive technology time can produce.

One of those tools is a special type of art called diamond art. “It’s like a paint by number but with gems,” the 71-year-old said. 

He discovered the calming effects of working on a diamond art creation by chance, using a machine he owned for his practice that measures brain waves. He wore it while doing a diamond art creation and the results showed that he was “in a state of deep meditation,” he recalled.

That inspired him to take the finding and apply it to assist those dealing with mental stress, particularly to counter the uptick in anxiety and depression in children seen throughout the nation since 2020.

“I’ve gotten very positive feedback from the teachers of the students who are doing the diamond art, saying that it improves their focus, their concentration, and helps with their emotional regulation,” said Rollingcross, who used to have a practice in Franklin and worked in the Holliston school district.

The Rhode Island College and Boston University graduate with over 30 years of experience in psychology said he became concerned about excessive screen time use in children.

“This is why I created the TAFS foundation - to educate and inform about the dangers of excessive screen time, while providing specific solutions that increase student Time Away From Screens,” he states on his website.

Currently, the foundation works with students in the Judge Baker Center in Boston, the Franklin Senior Center and one local after-school program, along with Tri County. He is hoping to bring diamond art classes to the library this summer as well, he said.

In all of these facilities, TAFS offers the diamond art class–which allows the participants to create cards, posters or photographs and turn them into these “paint by number” gem-filled masterpieces for free.

“Initially it can be intimidating,” the retired psychologist and Rhode Island native said of the art, which requires steady hands and a lot of patience.

He said doing the diamond art produces a plethora of mental health benefits, especially for those with anxiety, depression and focus issues.

“It’s a very unique and helpful method,” he noted of the diamond art.

One other creative way to get away from screens is labyrinth walking, which Rollingcross explained as a calming outdoor activity.

In his backyard in 2008, he created a labyrinth out of stones to allow himself to meditate while walking in nature, he said. “Labyrinths can be an effective tool to help address the effects of excessive screen time and its impact on children,” he states on his site.

“Unlike mazes, which present problems to solve, labyrinths offer a single, winding path that encourages reflection and calm focus. This can help children develop the ability to be still with their thoughts - a skill that’s increasingly rare in our screen-saturated environment.”

With two other volunteers, Rollingcross is trying to spread the word about the TAFS art offering and recruiting new volunteers who enjoy working with children and adults. 

For more information on diamond art, labyrinth walking, or volunteering, go to TAFSFoundation.org.