Author: Karen Hilliard Art

Prickling Pears

While walking along the streets of Sedona, Arizona, my husband and I happened upon some lovely beavertail cactus. Sitting around the edges of each paddle were an incredible amount of prickling pear. These fruit are hard and hearty until they fall off fully soft and ripened. They range in color from green to red and last a purple or dark red hue when ready to be eaten. Several of these lovely fruits were laying on the ground along the sidewalk edge. We decided to pick some and took them back to our timeshare. This whole trip was wonderful because the timeshare was gifted to us by loved ones and the fruit was a gift as well. When cleaning the outside of a prickling pear, one needs to be very careful. They have tiny clear pins or needles all over their skin as a protective layer. This reminds me of my post last week including desert tortoises and wondering how powerful their mouths are to not only bite cactus paddles but eat the fruit as well. Simply, a fascinating creature. After we got all the spines off, Chris doing most of the work, that is, then we ate and enjoyed the delicious juiciness of the pears. They were a lot of hard work and worth every stab of the needles. I was still pulling clear pins out of him after we finished eating. It was intense, he kept saying, “here’s another one,” so be prepared!

Red Rock Canyon Series 1 #5|Karen Hilliard Art|Watercolor|Tiny Paintings|4x6

When we returned home to Las Vegas, we were fortunate to find some beavertail cactus paddles on our walk. Our neighbor was trimming his plant and we happened to find a paddle laying on the ground drying out. Chris carried it all the way home with his bare hand!! This cactus paddle had very sharp needles. We let it dry for weeks, maybe a month, then planted it. Today, we have a beautiful cactus plant that produces prickling pears every year. It also blooms the most beautiful yellow flowers and attracts pollinators every spring. We have also found beavertail cactus out in Red Rock Canyon but we leave them alone because they are for the animal’s survival. I have yet to see a desert tortoise in the wild but I am sure they are out there. We find huge chunks chewed off of cacti once in a while. We are happy with our pricking pear cactus and we were also given more paddles last year. Luckily, these have no spines, pins, or needles. We are still waiting for them to produce fruit! The paintings below are the happy bees pollinating out sunflowers. I still need to paint the Prickling Pears.

The Bees Knees | Karen Hilliard Art | Watercolor

Have a Marvelous Monday and thank you for reading!

-Karen Hilliard

Marvelous Mountain in the Desert

Bristlecone pine along the trails on mount Charleston are sculpted by wind and rain. For example, when hiking the north loop trail in Cayo canyon, you will find beautiful sculptures at the top near Raintree, a very old bristlecone pine, she stands alone. On the way to her majestic beauty, you can find many sculptures of these trees leading the way to her. I’ve done a small series of artwork on these very trees, because they are incredibly captivating. The colors vary depending on how high the sun is in the sky, if there is an overcast on the day of picture taking, and also depending on my mood while hiking. Sometimes I use a hint of yellow, blue, orange, as well as, of course, the contrasting shadows. I love the moments under an overcast sky where a different mood blankets over the subject I am photographing. The goal of this series was to capture to mood, movement, and possible adventures of these trees. Some of them were still alive and thriving while others were existing without their protective layer of pine needles. Some of these beautiful wonders had been struck by lightning and offered even deeper color hues of inspiration. I hope these paintings spark your interest and encourage you to see the beauty of our natural world.

Bristlecone Pine Series 1 #2 • Nature Watercolor Painting • Karen Hilliard Art

Bristlecone Pine Series 1 #3 • Nature Watercolor Painting • Karen Hilliard Art

Thank you for taking a walk, hike, and exploring Mt. Charleston with me. This beautiful mountain in the desert is part of the Spring Mountain Range. The Peak of Charleston itself stands at an elevation of 11,916 feet. There are many different mileage details on the internet of how long the hike is, from 16.1 to 21 miles which is a vast difference. The GO Mt. Charleston Site has the trail leading from the South loop at an 8.5 mile strenuous hike. Here is the information if you would like to go to the peak. We personally prefer the North Loop trail hike up to Rain Tree. It is a nice steep climb and lovely in all weather. You can also keep hiking to get to the summit from here. If you have a favorite hike on this mountain or surrounding areas, please leave it in the comments below.

Thank you all for reading and have a wonderful Thursday!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags New Blog, watercolor painting

Juniper Trees

Juniper trees are a beautiful sight to behold out at Red Rock Canyon. Actually, anywhere in the southwest where you can adventure out into the wilderness and find one of these beautiful specimens of foliage is a real treat. The berries are actually called cones and birds eat them, they can also be used to make gin, a drink for humans. The problem with the juniper trees recently has been bird droppings, or ding, with a mistletoe seed in the poop. This then attaches to the tree and sucks the water out of the bark to grow the plant, then the mistletoe eats the tree. The mistletoe is a parasite for the trees. Out in the desert, especially where water is scarce, plants have to fight to survive, and the mistletoe is really taking over a lot of the juniper trees. While we’re out hiking, we love to find these trees and stare in awe at their beauty, always hoping to not see mistletoe. When I stop to sketch these trees I try to capture their needles and show the berries in bright colors. To me, they look like Christmas tree ornaments adorning the tree naturally. What do you see when you spot them? Have any of you seen them in real life, or just in photographs? Here are some paintings of Junipers I have done over the last few years. Let me know your thoughts on the comments!

Red Rock Canyon Greeting Cards | Karen Hilliard Art | Juniper

What are you favorite paintings out of this little collection? What is your favorite tree or bird? I have a few plain air sketches of these trees from hiking as well and fortunately none of those have mistletoe. Please do not ever eat the mistletoe or berries as they are poisonous. I will not even eat a Juniper berry/cone if the mistletoe is growing anywhere on the tree. This parasite affects the structure of the tree. It can be removed carefully and trees can be spared, however that takes a specific skill set and knowledge in that area. Please do not attempt it unless you know what you are doing. Thank you for reading and have a marvelous Monday! Be safe out there!!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags New Blog, red rock canyon, watercolor painting

Desert Life

Life in the desert is harsh and wondrous at the same time. I say harsh, because the animals have to survive in such dry and air conditions. The plants are pointy, poisonous, and protect themselves with multiple layers of pins or needles. The fruit is hard to come by and the water is scarce. All of this being said, the animals thrive, and survive.

The flowers bloom in the hopes to be pollinated and if so, the wildlife will flourish. Desert Tortoise surprise me with their ability to survive. one of the slowest moving animals, yet, they hold their own with their mighty shells. these creatures need to find a water source and can fill up by eating cactus paddles. the spines of a cactus do not hinder their mighty biting abilities. This is one of the reasons why these creatures are so fascinating. Another, is that when they are babies to yearlings, they can be flipped over and a snack for birds. How do they survive? How does anything in the desert survive? Especially without water! They do however camouflage nicely into the scenery and can also appear as a rock from a birds eye view. Maybe this is how they manage to avoid being eaten. Do you have any thoughts on this subject? For now, I will just share my love for tortoises with this Tiny Painting, “Waking Up.” I wanted to give this little creature some lettuce after a long span of time hibernating. These are amazing creatures who will get to out live most of us if the conditions allow them to.

Another animal I marvel at is the Bighorn sheep. I am in awe of their rock climbing abilities and natural agility. One time I was out hiking with my dog and some friends when all the dogs spied two bighorns running atop the mountain’s ridge. They were an amazing site to behold. The dogs felt they could catch the sheep and went bounding after them, yet the bighorn were way too far away to be caught. My dog stayed by my side and watched the others in disbelief. The sheep chased each other and looked as if they were having their own battle with one another and could not be troubled by any visitors. All of this being said, please make sure to leash your dogs and be mindful of the wildlife. We are always visitors in their habitats and do not want to disturb them. My friend’s dogs quickly came back when she called them and they were leashed the rest of the hike. Always be respectful out in nature. The desert is hard enough on the indigenous species living there without the hassle from outside visitors. Thank you for reading and tried lightly this Thursday!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags New Blog, watercolor painting

Red Rock Canyon

The Southwest is filled with marvels from Sandstone and Limestone rock formations to the various vegetation surrounding them. The animals alone are hearty and spectacular. I decided for my first blog on the beautiful landscape should be about my own backyard, Red Rock Canyon and Lake Mead Recreation Area. This one will focus solely on Red Rock Canyon here in Las Vegas. The canyon is just outside Summerlin, which is a community here in Las Vegas. Summerlin is a lovely place filled with sandstone topography, and aesthetically pleasing stone walls around the businesses. You can find coffee shops, donut shops, pizzerias on your way out to red rock, or on your way back from the canyon if you are interested in a meal or a snack, after a long hike, or climbing session. There’s also horseback riding near the canyon past the 13 mile loop. Red rock Canyon has a lot to offer for families as well as experienced adventure enthusiasts. The 13 mile loop in itself has many pull outs with different names such as Pine Creek Canyon, Icebox Canyon, Calico Basin, Sandstone Quarry, and more. This has always been Las Vegas to me. Whenever I have friends visit, I try and take them out into nature rather than go to the strip to see the lights. I would rather take people out to the street sunshine and the vast desert surrounding all of Las Vegas.

Personally, I’ve only ever seen a coyote and some road runners inside the loop. I think we did calico basin pull out one and pull out two for several years. I loved running up and down the trail because the topography was nice and hilly. It was a very good workout. This is also where I first started climbing on rope on the panty wall and calico basin. It’s a great start for new or inexperienced climbers. Another activity people like to do in the loop is bike riding and then they often meet at the Dunkin’ Donuts in Summerlin at the end of the ride. I have yet to ride my bike around the 13 mile loop or to run around the entire thing. Have any of you been to red rock canyon and done any of these activities? I started going hiking just outside the loop and I absolutely love the freedom of it. Also, there are a limited number of people. Outside the loop I’ve seen Burroughs, bighorn, sheep, tarantulas, tarantula wasps, and much much more. The flowers and cacti are breathtaking. I am very excited to start taking you on walks out in this beloved desert ecosystem.

Thank you for reading and have a Marvelous Monday!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags New Blog, red rock canyon

Traveling

Spain was an amazing experience and I feel fortunate to have been able to travel there. I wrote about the highlights and there were many more from our trip. Europe in general has a piece of my heart. When I was younger I had the opportunity to study in Italy for a semester. Being an art student and getting to travel to Florence, Italy, where the heart of the Renaissance happened was unbelievable. Seeing the paintings on the walls of the museums and walking up to the sculptures of Michelangelo and Donatello lives in my mind clear as when it happened. While in Italy, I also had amazing weekends of explorations with our teacher and traveled the countryside. We saw and hiked the Dolomites which I have on my list to travel back to. They were magnificent in the summer and I would love to see them in all seasons to marvel at all they have to offer the senses. My group and I traveled to Sienna and watched the Palio. This is a horse race that has been happening in their city since the 1200s. Our teacher was welcomed into one of the families so we had dinner with them the night before the race and all of us wore their colors during the race. The whole entire educational trip was magical to say the least.

One of the most breathtaking spots I saw was Cinque Terre, Italy. We stayed in Riomaggiore while there and had cappuccinos every morning. We traveled the towns and had seafood with pasta and hiked along the Mediterranean. While writing about Spain, I was also remembering my first European trip. So much happened while living abroad for a semester and I could write several blogs about it, however, I have decided to write about trips I have taken around the United States for a while. Italy, Spain, France, and everywhere else in Europe I have traveled to will have to wait. I want to take you from cobblestone streets, churches, the cities, and now have you explore the Southwest with me. There is so much to see in the desert and so many marvelous adventures to share. Where are some places you have gone in the Southwest that you love? Where are some places you have in your list to see? I think I will keep this blog short today and spend today and the weekend thinking about where I want to take you all next. Thank you for reading these blogs and have a fantastic weekend. Happy Friday!

-Karen Hilliard

City Parks and Botanical Shows

Parc de la Ciutadella was, and is, beautiful. I had been looking for a place to sketch on our trip, and I needed to be out in nature, yet away from the city while we were in the city. If that makes any sense? So Joanna and I found a lovely park with interesting statues, I sat, and was able to draw for a good amount of time while she relaxed on a bench. The sculptures looked like dragons, or gargoyles, and were made completely of stone. They were at the entrance to the park, and as we walked in, we saw a beautiful fountain with a baby cherub on top of a sculpture. I sat there and drew for what felt like hours, but it was really under an hour, and Joanna is such an amazing travel partner. She just sat taking it all in while watching people go about their day. I always liked to do this too, but I love to have a sketchbook in my hand because my mind is filled with art constantly; it always wants to be drawing, painting, sculpting, or doing something creative. I don’t know if any of you can relate but that is how my brain processes information. After a while, I start to feel for the people that are with me on the trip, even though they don’t mind, or say they don’t mind, and so we make sure to have plenty to do around where we are at in the moment.

While in the park, we were lucky to happen upon a botanical show filled with orchids. We were walking among these beautiful orchids from exotic places all over the world and we saw our first lacy leaf plant from Brazil. I didn’t write the name of it down here, but it looks like the Swiss hole plants that I find on the Internet. Many years later, I ended up getting a plant along the same lines, but not exactly the same as the one we saw that day. The show wais a special for orchids and we were lucky to come across that one plant which stayed in my mind for a very long time. The orchids were beautiful but I did not end up drawing them in the book in time but that plant really stuck with me. I wanted to do a whole series of green leaf plants because I just love the color green. That’s probably why my new series is focusing on trees because I admire how green envelops the Earth. My favorite thing about plants is that when man-made structures turn to rubble, plants will take over and the earth never stops growing; no matter how many times humans try to pull weeds, or re-create nature, it always comes back really strong.

After the orchid show, we walked around the park some more and found an interesting sign on a plaque in memory of lesbians and transsexuals from 2011. We walked farther along into the city, and we came across a protest where the police were starting to come with their riot shield, so we kept walking. We jjust wanted to keep enjoying the city and find more beautiful things to look at. That day ended up being an amazing art day for me, and an amazing exploration day for both of us. We felt like we really got to know the city that afternoon, and the people. I find it important, not only to eat at local restaurants, shop and local shops, but go to local places where the everyday person is walking about. It’s in these moments, where I find my most cherished memories from traveling. I hope this blog finds you well and I hope you have a wonderful Wednesday. I have noticed more people read my blogs on Tuesdays and Thursdays but I will try to keep up my one Monday, Wednesday, Friday routine. Please let me know in the comments what day you prefer for my posting these blogs because that would be really helpful. Thank you for reading!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags Barcelona Spain, Botanical, New Blog, orchids

Spanish Sea and Sangrias

Tranquility and subtle beauty awaited us on the shoreline of the Mediterranean. Joanna and I put on our dresses and walked down to the Sea. We wanted to just sit and relax while possibly gathering some treasures. We thought a lot about where we were and reminisced about our younger days when we took a trip to Maui. Wherever we go together, we have to find a body of water to sit and be thankful for this life. We feel deeply connected to the water, the land, and the air. These three elements all being in one place is magical. We also brought a bottle of wine to share down by the sea which is always a nice time. As we sat and the sun set, we decided to come back the next day for some daytime relaxation. I wanted time to sit with my sketchbook. The night air was warm and inviting and the moon was beautiful overhead. We had to get back to the campsite so we packed up our belongings, trinkets, the empty wine bottle, and made our way back to camp. We spent all night singing and laughing hysterically about our entire trip. It was one of the best nights I have had on a vacation.

The next morning we awoke to some other tourists cooking their breakfast outside our tent. They were German and very pleasant. After they finished their breakfast, they broke camp. Joanna and I just sat and watched them for an hour and they reminded us of circus performers. They had so much stuff to break down, pack up, and were in and out of their tents many times. After they finally left, we were in hysterics again about the whole experience. We decided to walk around the camp, look at the animals, and treat ourselves to the restaurant breakfast with a Café con Leche of course! When we were finished, we sat a bit and took it all in. Camping Barcelona is an amazing place all on its own. Then, it was time to go back to the sea. Thank goodness I brought my bag and had a hooded sweater inside of it. The weather drastically changed from the night before and there was a chill in the air. I love the unpredictable nature of wind. We sat, I sketched, and Joanna marveled at Mother Nature for a while. There was still a good portion of the day left so we decided to make our way to Mataró for some Sangrias at our favorite restaurant.

The owner and his father were behind the bar when we opened the door. This place was amazing and the owner always gifted us a little taste of a drink he really liked. Each time we went there, the drink was different and always delicious. We ordered the White Sangria and some hush puppies. Both were divine. Joanna and I tried Sangria at different restaurants throughout Barcelona and only the one place in Mataró. The clear, or white, sangria was quite refreshing on a hot day and made us feel hydrated. The red Sangria felt like a dance with a loved one. They both were created with fruit, yet the red tasted like a meal, then made us want to Dane, or move about. The white made us feel like relaxing and sitting at the restaurant. We ended up ordering a few more tapas and talking with the proprietor. He and his father had many stories and we ended up staying to meet his mother. We love finding family owned and run businesses when we travel. It is nice feeling like we are helping an actual person over a corporation. The feel of a family owned business also feels more like home. Where is somewhere in the world you would go back to if you had the chance?

Thank you all for reading and have a marvelous Monday!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags Barcelona Spain, New Blog

Ode to Café con Leche

Café con Leche is a Spanish treat that ignites the senses into a flurry of wonder. The English translation is coffee with milk but let me tell you, this is not the taste that will befall your lips and tongue. Coffee with milk just tells the story of an everyday wake up and go, throwing coffee in a travel mug with a dash of milk just to get a jolt of lightning to start the day…a quick sip of love while sitting in traffic. Whereas a Café con Leche is something else entirely. For example, it is much smaller, much stronger, and deserves much more time to consume. Sipping this delicacy will transport the consumer into a world of complete happiness and a love affair with oneself. Everywhere we went, and on a daily basis, we found a café, then ordered our Café con Leches. We sat. We sipped. We enjoyed deep meaningful conversations. This is how the coffee of Spain deserves to be treated. The internet compares this drink to our Lattes and there is a slight comparison, however, I implore you to travel to Spain and decide for yourself which drink is better. I am sure you have all figured out my opinion and vote by now, and it is not the American version.

While we were traipsing about Barcelona we happened upon a huge Starbucks. I wrote huge because our Starbucks here in Las Vegas are small and on almost every corner. This one was large and in charge from the outside. We did not go in. While in other countries, other states, other cities, even towns, I always try to find the local places to enjoy a meal or beverage. I understand the want for comforts of home and it isn’t because I love to give my stomach a mystery. Although, I am always hopeful for a delicious delicacy over a night in the bathroom. The real reason to taste new foods and drinks is an exploration for my tastebuds. Traveling and seeing the world is not only a trip for my eyes, nose, and ears, but my tastes as well. I love giving my business to small shops along the way. Even if I have a hard time affording certain prices, I try to purchase something small. Coffee in foreign countries always seems the most reasonable. What is your go-to beverage of choice while traveling? In America, I love a hazelnut latte and cheese danish. Anywhere else in the world I try their coffee with milk and compare it to Spain’s delicious treasure.

I hope this blog finds you all well and thank you to those of you offering to “buy me a coffee” through the website. Here is the information again. Each cup of love is appreciated and keeps me inspired for the daily creative bursts. The aroma alone awakens all my senses. Make sure to leave your Instagram or Facebook handle so I can thank you on social media as well. If you would like to show support, here is the link and I truly appreciate the fact that you are liking these blogs, as well as my art posts. I am working hard to bring you all fresh content! Here is the link to my Instagram where I try to post daily. You can also find me on Facebook at my art page Karen Hilliard Art. I value all of you and thank you for reading! Have a blessed weekend and hopefully you all find enjoyment in any activity you do, even a nice sit on the couch watching Netflix…this is always a favorite of mine.

-Karen Hilliard

Tags Barcelona Spain, Café con Leche, Coffee, New Blog

Casa Batllo

Casa Batllo, Casa Mila and Casa Vicens are three houses that Antoni Gaudi envisioned and created. Joanna and I were lucky to visit Casa Batllo. It was amazing. The wavy wonder of Gaudi brought to life in architecture was unbelievable. We loved going up to the roof and seeing the sculptures placed at the top. They looked like chess pieces getting ready to play a game. I took a few photos and actually made some pieces out of clay in resemblance to them when I returned home. Barcelona was invigorating and really sparked my imagination for creativity. Some of the sculptures were smooth and one piece of stone while the others had mosaic tiling atop them. Both were fascinating. Being in one of the Gaudi houses felt like traveling inside someone’s sketchbook come to life. Watching two dimensional drawings turn into three dimensional wonders right in front of my eyes. It was amazing to see his vision, touch it, and just wonder what was going through his mind when he created it.

Looking back at my own sketches and notes if the experience has been quite enjoyable. I wrote my blog based on memories and then found my travel sketchbook to compare what I tempered to what I wrote down. I am pleased to say the two are identical. Here are some sketches and photographs from our actual trip. I mention in my notes that I tried to paint with water by spilling coffee on the paper and it did not bode well. Hence, the next sketchbooks from there on out, for every trip, have been watercolor sketchbooks. This trip solidified that point in my life and the transition to watercolor as my primary medium. This information was interesting for me to find because I had forgotten that key element in my life. I also used to teach at an elementary school and would always tell my students to write down as many ideas as possible. They would always try and erase so we would have long conversations to just put a line through what they did not want anymore. I would say, you never know when you may need that word or sentence someday. Well, today was one of those days for me. I am glad I took my own advice and wrote down minute details from our trip.

Thank you all for reading and following along on this Spanish adventure. My blogs have been a bit sporadic on the time schedule for consistency due to vacations. Now, we are back in the swing of things and I am planning to be back on track next week. This is the hope anyway! Have a wonderful weekend!

-Karen Hilliard

Also, if you would like to show support, I recently joined “buy me a coffee” which is a way for anyone to contribute to the creative process behind the paintings. Fuel the artist so to speak. Here is the link if you are interested and I truly appreciate the support and the fact that you are liking these blogs, as well as my art posts. I am working hard to bring you all fresh content! Here is the link to my Instagram where I try to post daily. You can also find me on Facebook at my art page Karen Hilliard Art.
Thank you again for all of your support!