Author: Karen Hilliard Art

Mushrooms and moss cover the trees at Armstrong Woods State Park in California. Nestled along the coast, one can find these trees thriving in the misty weather resting near the Russian River in Sonoma County. Every time I am blessed with the experience of hiking there, I am fascinated to find new images in the trees and surroundings. I have created three Tiny Painting Series from this magical forest along with larger works such as, “Growth,” and “Resolute Protector.” The larger painting titled “Growth,” won First Place in the Nevada Watercolor Society Fall Show in 2022. Both larger works are available and I have a few of the Tiny Paintings left. I hope my love of the Redwoods is visible in these works of art. Here are the two larger original watercolors that are available. I love how they look side by side and imagine them hanging in someone’s home just like this.

Another enjoyment my husband and I love to experience is looking up at the tree Canopies. We love to watch the leaves or pine needles dance in the wind while the clouds float overhead. It amazes us to see the trees reaching up as high as they can and try to get as much sunlight as possible. I try to show these magical moments in my series titled Canopies of California. The sun, the sky, and the trees all dancing in movement together. I have three out of the five paintings left of these little gems.

I hope these paintings bring light and love into your homes along with a bit of wonder. I put the links to each painting below, you just have to click on the one you want to view and the link will take you to the specific painting on my website. If you have any questions about the paintings or how to navigate my website, please contact me via my contact page. I would be happy to help with any questions or concerns. Have a terrific Thursday and thank you for reading! 

-Karen Hilliard

The new painting I have been working on is filled with intricate lines and tiny details. I have been waking up every morning, or for some the darkness of night, trying to stay motivated until it’s completion. I use an apostrophe on the word it to emphasize the personification of this piece. Each painting I create takes on a life of it’s own and becomes part of me, or another way to write this would be…a piece of me, or a look inside the inner workings of my mind. The paintings displayed on my website are all expressions of my visions, thoughts, feelings, and ideas. I am trying to introduce this new piece without giving too much away as to leave space for my Newsletter coming out August first. Signing up for the Newsletter will give each viewer an insight into the painting, detailed descriptions of the thought process behind the piece, and the first view of the painting itself. This blog is just a teaser, if you want to call it that.

The Newsletter will explain where I was when I took the reference photograph, the field sketches that were created on site, and some ideas behind the piece of artwork. I am very excited to receive feedback on this particular painting due to the intricacy and care put into every brush stroke. I am looking forward to hearing or reading about what people see in this painting or how it moves them, because it moves me so. As I write this blog, all I can think about is how much I want to get back to the artwork and production of this special piece. So this is where I will leave the blog for today with a spark of wonder for what is to come. If you would like to be one of the first to see the painting or have the opportunity to purchase it before anyone else, then please sign up for my Newsletter so you can receive an email on August first! 

Until then, thank you for reading and have a Marvelous Monday!

-Karen Hilliard

Walking in the dark in the wee hours of the morning to get to my studio where I can turn a light on and illuminate my visions on paper is a marvelous feeling. The quiet of the early mornings are the most peaceful time of the day. The artwork comes alive and sparks new and exciting nuances with every stroke of my paintbrush. The new series I have been working on is one I am very pleased to share with everyone, however, I must wait patiently until they are ready. My posts have been slow as well as these blogs for the sole reason of creation time. The morning has turned into my favorite time to be with my thoughts and start the day off with joy as well as gratitude. Do any of you have a certain time of the day where you are the most productive? As a mom, it used to be whenever I had a tiny moment. I am grateful to have now carved this time out for myself and am hoping it continues so I can bring beautiful paintings to life for all of you to enjoy.

I mention in my Newsletter about the new series I have been working on. I also give sneak peaks of the paintings I am producing if any of you would like to sign up for the Newsletter. Here is the link or you can find it at the bottom of my homepage on my website. I try to send them out via email on the first of every month. If the first falls on a wonky day, or a painting is not ready, I send them out the following week. This being written, I will send the next one out this August and I am overjoyed for you all to see the new piece! I sometimes have coupons for the Newsletter people only, and this is where I have the most information about what is new with my artwork. As for finding time to paint…the morning, and anytime I get a moment, are my most treasured times. It is just lovely to get my thoughts down and watch the world inside my head come to life on the paper in front of me. Have a wonderful weekend and I hope to see new sign ups on the Newsletter!!

Thank you for reading!

-Karen Hilliard

 A place in Sedona that we always stopped at was the tiny little coffee shop designed and created for Pink Jeep Tours. We loved to get the pumpkin chai. I was writing a post telling everyone about it and found out they have recently closed. Do any of you have a place you lived going to that is no longer in business? We used to grab a cup of chai and then sit outside overlooking  one of the most beautiful views in Sedona with amazing rock formations. One morning, long ago, we sat here for what felt like hours, then we decided to go for a hike. The trail we chose that day was Devil’s Bridge and oh what fun we had! 

The picturesque trail was covered in red sand and surrounded by glorious sandstone structures abound. I decided to walk barefoot through the sand for the entire 3.9 mile loop and Chris followed suit since he loves being barefoot. Our dog had the time of his life with all the smells of Spring around us. Flowers were blooming everywhere and the sandstone had a rich red hue combined with orange and purple details throughout the landscape. The path was aligned with juniper trees and indigenous bushes along with cacti. The hike to the bridge did get a bit steep so be mindful of that while you push forward for an amazing view. We were happy to get a picture at the top with our dog as it was one of his last hikes. I hope you all get the opportunity to see this wonder one day. Sedona is a beautiful magical place and full of smiles if you ever get the chance to see it. Highly recommend any trail there. 

I included my painting “Woman of the Rock” which is actually from Red Rock Canyon. I wanted to show the colors of Sedona the day we hiked and this painting was the closest representation of that day. A limited number of Prints are available on my website. Each one is signed by me!! Thank you for reading, supporting my art, and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!

-Karen Hilliard

Let’s go back into the desert on a trip together down memory lane…. Sedona, Arizona was a sight to behold. Rock faces, color concepts, topography, and vast landscape views took our breaths away. Upon arriving at this magical place, after traveling down a beautiful winding mountain canyon filled with trees and a river, one would find a geographical wonderland. We passed multiple campsites along the river that are always full due to the gorgeous location they encompass. 

This place is also known for its spiritual vortexes. Apparently it has both feminine and masculine energy intertwined on some of the hikes in the area. If you know more about this, please write it in the comments below. Fascinating! We were in awe of how the trees intertwined on these hikes and wondered if it had something to do with the vortexes? What are your thoughts? 

The colors of Sedona are remarkable and endearing. I could stare at the mountains and scenery forever. The shops are filled with amazing artwork by various local artists we became truly inspired by. The coffee shops were all wonderful and set with lovely landscapes out one of their windows or off the deck views for some of these cafés. Sedona is a must do trip in our opinion and I will write more about it next week! Until then, happy Friday and keep exploring.

Thank you for reading!

-Karen Hilliard

Everything in moderation. Finding a show one really likes, connects with, or finds understanding in is what reels humans in. We are not solitary creatures. From the dawn of time, we have packed up in herds to keep safe from predators, therefore creating bonds with other humans. I think this is why we can connect with television shows and the characters we are presented with. Personally, I choose a show based on how I am feeling in the moment and then it captivates me from there. As much as I love being outside to recharge, I also love a hood emotional show. This helps me hit the reset button when I feel fried and taps me back into deep feelings. This seems odd to me at the same time since television is not real and characters in these shows are just acting for their paychecks. Really good actors however, connect with their characters and can draw us in. So here is one of my ways to unwind, do you have any?

After watching a show I go through many emotions. “Why did I just waste so much of my time when I have so much to create and get done?” I always answer myself that it wasn’t a waste of time. Books, movies, television, music, etc. are all created by other artists and it is vital to my creative process to immerse myself in other art forms. Painting or drawing while watching the show or movie is preferable. Sometimes though, I need to turn off my own creative process and just let go. Museums and watching other painters on social media is fascinating to me as well. TED talks and  documentaries also get the creative juices flowing. There is so much more, but I was trying to stick with binge watching for this post. Does staying on social media and scrolling through videos count for this as well? This is something I wonder about. Also, I always remember to take the dog for a walk, he may cuddle up and chill, but I believe he loves going outside more. I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday and thank you for reading!

-Karen Hilliard