Category: Karen Hilliard Art Blog

Inside Pinecones

My husband and I love walking around the desert searching for pine cones. While we hunt, he looks for cones filled with pine nuts, however, does not find them. Scattered on the ground are older and younger cones that have fallen off their tree at different times. I love to see the different ages of the pinecones. Once in a while, we find one by itself along the trail probably blown by the wind. I decided Number 7 in the series would be one of these treasures.

Pinecone | Karen Hilliard Art Blog | Watercolor | Tiny Paintings | Original Watercolor | 4 x 6 — AVAILABLE CLICK HERE

Pinecones Blog | Karen Hilliard Art Blog | Watercolor | Original | Tiny Paintings | 4x6 — AVAILABLE CLICK HERE

I painted from the center outward and the paintbrush took on a life of its own. The painting ended up being a zoomed in version of the object. I used blues, browns, and a bit of yellow ochre for highlights. I left the whites with my paintbrush by painting the space around them. The light areas are to represent sand and debris that flew, and stuck into the cone. This painting took quite a long time and I had to keep telling myself to stick with it. When I finally completed it, I loved the perspective, and decided to do another.

Red Rock Canyon Series 1 Number 8|Pine Cone|Karen Hilliard Art|Watercolor|4x6|Original — AVAILABLE CLICK HERE

Number 8 was going to be a farther away version and it ended up being even closer than the first. I don’t draw a pencil sketch before I start so some paintings are enlarged more than others. In this piece I used more brown and blue and very little burnt sienna for the center of the painting. I am very pleased that I decided to make two of these because I really like how they look together. My husband and I get very excited when we see pinecones on trails and then spend time reminiscing about our very special day.

PIne cone | Karen Hilliard Art Blog | Colored Pencil

As I worked on these paintings, my mind drifted to the months before our wedding day and the wedding itself. We chose to have pine cones in our wedding bouquets and boutonnières. This painting reminded me of all the happy moments of drawing ideas out with my dearest friend Andrew, hunting for pine cones, and the smile on my husband’s face while we were making wedding decorations with his family. I am thankful that my mind can drift while I paint and I am able to add my emotions into each piece of art. I hope you enjoyed these paintings, and getting to know me a little bit more. If you would like to share any special memories you have, please email me. I would love to hear about them!

-Karen Hilliard

Also, if you would like another way to show support, I have a few options. “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. The funds go to supplies and gas to get out to the trails. 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.

Please leave your Social Media handle on the “Buy me a Coffee” page so I can thank you in my Instagram/Facebook Stories! If you would like to 🙂

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Karen Hilliard Art | Blog | Support for the Artist | Art Support — CLICK HERE AND THANK YOU!!
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Tags New Blog, red rock canyon, watercolor painting

Barrel Cactus Flowers

Red Rock Canyon pops with color throughout the year depending upon rainfall. This summer we were blessed with many storms in July. The barrel cactuses had a second blooming season and the desert was glowing with color. These cactuses have gorgeous yellow flowers and it is fun to watch the bees and bugs pollinate them. In this small work series I decided to paint some close up perspectives of the delicate color variations of these flowers. They are subtle yet beautiful. I love to sit among the desert life and feel tranquility.

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

Number 6 in the series is also a close up of the flowers inside a barrel cactus. I used red and blue to create the depth of shadows with a wet on wet technique. I chose to let these colors dry completely before I added the yellow color of the flower. This was a different choice than the other piece of work. As I added the yellow and orange I decided to let it dry, sit, and then layered more orange on top. I used red to detail in the lines of the cactus spines. I tried to recreate the flow of the first painting to leave a feeling of peacefulness. I am pleased to have put my emotions that I felt in the desert into these pieces.

I hope you enjoyed a close up and personal view of these flowers and next time you stop to experience any flower with a closer look. I would love to hear from you about your thoughts on these paintings. My email, Facebook, and Instagram are all on the website at the top. I also have a Contact page and it goes straight to my email. I look forward to hearing from you!

-Karen Hilliard

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Tags New Blog, red rock canyon, watercolor painting

Flora of Red Rock Canyon

I am fascinated by desert plants and their amazing persistence to survive. On my hikes I have seen plants and trees growing out of crevices on rock walls. The tiniest amount of water can sustain a desert plant. Barrel Cactuses are unique with beautiful yellow flowers on top. In my last blog I wrote about the First Red Rock Canyon small works series. I decided for the third painting in the series to create a detailed perspective of a Barrel Cactus flower.

Red Rock Canyon/Karen Hilliard Art/Blog — AVAILABLE CLICK HERE

I went through many versions in my mind of how I wanted this painting to look. I thought the landscape of the cactus with a yucca behind it would be gorgeous for texture contrast. As I looked through the photos on my phone, I kept zooming in and saving screenshots. I settled on the top of the barrel cactus and its flowers for the composition of this Tiny Painting. The red, yellow, and green combination along with light and dark variants were pleasing to paint.

Barrel Cactuses are beautiful and intertwined. The flowers are embedded in the needles and then bloom upward. Another plant I find interesting are the Juniper Trees. Number 4 in the series is a darker version of a different Juniper Tree than Number 2. This Juniper had more reddish and purple cones than the other painting. I enjoy painting the different perspectives of each tree and changed my color palette for the second painting. I focused on brown and blue for the shadows and then used a layer of green over the darkness.

It is a true joy to talk, or write, about these paintings and my process. I am happy to share my love of the desert and the environment with all of you. I would love to know what you think about the paintings. Just click on the link and you will be able to review them on the website, or you can send me an email! You can also send me an email about a favorite hike you like to venture on, or where you wish to travel to next. Thank you for reading this blog, I hope you enjoyed our walk through Red Rock Canyon, Nevada.

-Karen Hilliard

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Tags New Blog, red rock canyon, watercolor painting

Inspired by Red Rock Canyon

Red Rock Canyon in Nevada holds an enormous amount of inspiration for me. I love the way the colors move together and each day the light is different. The weather varies as well making for interesting hikes. I stop to sketch or take photos while my dog runs between my husband and myself trying to keep our pack together. Our daughter plays with sand beneath her feet while ravens fly overhead. So many memories are intertwined with this canyon including my inspiration. I decided on Red Rock Canyon for one of my Tiny Painting Series to share my love of the desert with all of you.

Number 1 in the series is a burro. This burro came up to us on the trail and kept its distance. It ate, frolicked, and enjoyed the time in its habitat. We respectfully stood still and told our dog to “just watch” as that is his command for not disturbing nature. He sits and stares at burros, deer, and wildlife without barking. He is a pretty awesome companion. I tried to capture the gentleness of the burro and the softness of the moment we all shared. This memory is from a time predating our daughter. She has yet to see a burro in real life and I am so excited to experience this with her someday.

Number 2 is a painting of a Juniper Tree. I chose to paint a section of the cones and tried to make the tree more subtle. I added light and shadow to emphasize the cones. Juniper berries are actually cones and I find this very interesting. This tree is one of my favorites to paint for the texture, color differences, and variants of light. One one of our recent hikes, my daughter and I were backpacking and I introduced her to the Juniper Tree. She was captivated by the cones and held on to it for quite a while throughout the hike.

I loved sitting in the desert with my little sketchbooks and watercolors. Lately, I snap a photograph and paint them later upon returning home. My new fascination is watching our daughter experience nature. While I was outside, I would try to do a quick sketch and paint washes to remember the color and emotion I felt while I was there. Now, when I return home, I sit down and create pieces with the memory, the photograph, and a lot more detail. Life has changed in the best of ways. I hope you all enjoy this series, the blogs about it, and the walk with me in nature through these paintings. Thank you for reading and have a lovely weekend!

-Karen Hilliard

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Sold at a Charity Event. Acrylic on Canvas.

Tags New Blog, red rock canyon, watercolor painting

Valley of Fire Wild Flowers

The palette of colors in the desert is every artist’s dream. The yellow flowers are joined by their complimentary color, purple. The blue primary color can be found throughout the rocks and is matched by it’s companion orange in every piece of sandstone. The red stone of the earth is complemented by the luscious green plants and cacti growing next to it. The first series I created for my Tiny Paintings were the flowers of this park. I wanted to express the beauty I saw surrounding me in a series of small paintings. I love receiving flowers, yet they do not last, so I wanted to represent the love of flowers as something that could hang on a person’s wall forever.

Valley of Fire Series 2 - #10|Karen Hilliard Art|Watercolor|4x6 — AVAILABLE CLICK HERE

The first painting shown below was of the cactus flowers including the plant. I am fascinated by the contrast in colors and how the light and dark dance together. The second and third pieces were close up representations of one cactus flower to show the pollen and life inside the petals. I further wanted to add another species that is prominent in the desert during the spring. Desert Marigolds are the sunshine of the desert. Clumps of yellow set along sandstone paths to brighten up anyone’s day.

Valley of Fire Flowers Series 1 #6 • Tiny Painting • Karen Hilliard Art — SOLD

Valley of Fire Flowers Series 1 #2 • Tiny Painting • Karen Hilliard Art — SOLD

Number 8 was a beautiful white flower with paper thin petals and dark green leaves. The center of the flower had a glorious pollen stem shooting up to the sky. I ended the series with two more cactus flowers because I love the purple and pink in the petals. These colors burst out against the green cactus paddles and intrigues the eyes of anyone looking upon them.

Valley of Fire Flowers Series 1 #8 • Tiny Painting • Karen Hilliard Art — SOLD

As I made this series, I sold eight of the paintings soon after. Knowing that each piece of artwork was bringing a person joy gave me such happiness. I also took 5 of the images and made a greeting card set so people could send each other flowers that would last. I picture these paintings on the customer’s walls, cards up in their homes, and feel like they bring a smile to the person’s face. Sharing my paintings with the world is the best gift I can receive. I am very thankful for everyone’s support and hope these works of art bring you all joy. Thank you for reading and have a Wonderful Wednesday!

-Karen Hilliard

A Couple of Sketches Before the Paintings Were Created.

SPRING GREETING CARDS PICTURED ABOVE 5″ x 7″ CLICK HERE

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Tags New Blog, watercolor painting

Valley of Fire, The Fire Wave Trail

One of the most colorful places we have visited in Nevada is Valley of Fire State Park. My little family and I frequent this magical place filled with sandstone creations. Each hike has a different pigment of the stone and variations in the sand. A trail we particularly loved to run on was the Fire wave trail. We first came across this path while hiking. My husband sat to relax and I painted. Later, we both grew to love it for our run. It has a nice balance of flat terrain and hills to push ourselves. I am glad we always took the time to stop and appreciate such a beautiful place! This is on our list of places to explore again with our daughter.

Valley of Fire, Fire Wave — AVAILABLE CLICK HERE

The trail is quiet and peaceful in the early hours when the sun is just starting to rise. The flowers bloom alongside the sandy path. Our dog loved to stop and smell the flowers when they were first starting to wake up. We were all intrigued by the cactus flowers. My husband liked to try and figure out if the desert tortoises had eaten any of the paddles and I liked photographing them for future paintings.

The trail came to a downhill slide into a wash. The wash was filled with sand and stone where we could spend hours exploring. The erosion and lines in the rock are captivating. The run was very tranquil and afterwards we hiked for a while so we could take photos of what we really enjoyed. I was thankful that I was able to go home and paint our memories and then share them with everyone. Recently, I have really been excited about painting the many different species of flowers in the desert. The Fire Wave trail was filled with so much beauty and it was hard to see it all in one trip. The desert is ever changing with wind, sands of time, and glorious rain storms. We see something new each time we visit the park. We are grateful that we live so close to this wonderful place.

Valley of Fire Series 2 Number 3 — AVAILABLE CLICK HERE

Valley of Fire Series 2 Number 2 — AVAILABLE CLICK HERE

The hike can get really hot in the summertime so be careful and always remember to bring a water bottle! I hope you enjoy this post and are able to find an amazing hike where you live that you truly love. Please contact me with any suggestions, or leave them in the comments for everyone! Have a Marvelous Monday and Thank You for Reading!

-Karen Hilliard

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Tags New Blog, watercolor painting

Las Vegas Wetlands

Another beautiful and informational trip to the Wetlands here in Las Vegas. This place is filled with such a diverse ecosystem. Coyotes, Beavers, Racoons, Jack Rabbits, Ground Squirrels, Road Runners, and many more species roam the land here. Water is scarce in the desert and this wonderful place provides food and shelter to so many creatures. One of our daughter’s favorite places at the park is the environmental center where there is an endless supply of information about the animals that frequent the wetlands. We always have to visit the giant bullfrog and listen to its call. Now, on this day, it was not working. I would love to send out a message about gentleness when pushing buttons, pulling levers, twisting tops, and such. Always remembering the person after you and how much joy you are sharing by being gentle with the supplies provided at parks and visitor centers. Luckily, there was another section where she could hear the bullfrog cry even though pressing the button on the giant sculpture was no longer working.

Karen Hilliard Art | Blog | Las Vegas Wetlands

After playing with the giant sculptures, we proceeded to stare at the fish, touch the pelts, and found more information about rattlesnakes. This was interesting because we had just gone on a hike two days prior and saw signs everywhere but no snakes in person. We learned that rattlesnake hatchlings start out with knobs instead of rattles. After writing my previous blog, I also found out from the University of Davis website that the rattles grow in sections depending on the age of the snake. That was very interesting. If you would like more information about these amazing snakes, check out my blog, “Rattlesnakes, Oh My!” Moving on from the snake skeleton, we went to the small exhibit on Coyotes and saw one in still motion hunting a ground squirrel. The staff at the Wetlands had an art and craft center for kids where they could do an art project with nature rubbing. We did not collect any nature, but the staff had blocks with an animal, their prints, and food they ate. Our daughter chose a beaver and we worked on it together. One of the staff members sat with us and created a duck rubbing, then gave it to our daughter. It was another lovely day! Thank you for reading and have a fantastic Friday!

-Karen Hilliard

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Tags New Blog

Rattlesnakes, Oh My!

So, I took my friend to a Rattlesnake Habitat. She has been reading my blogs and loving the adventures my daughter and I have been going on. We wanted both kids to experience the wonders of nature and had decided to go on a hike that I frequent. Red Springs near Red Rock Canyon State Park is a beautiful place filled with vegetation. The desert is always in need of water and this natural spring brings many animals as well. Little critters are usually accompanied by larger predators and therefore, we get snakes. Rattlesnakes to be exact. I had no idea the boardwalk surrounded a natural habitat for them. Luckily, there are signs everywhere so we kept our adventurous children close. Of course, mine wanted to see the giant dried out plant in the middle of the habitat. We had a good look at the “snake” sign and had a bit of a chat about safety. Afterwards we went to a different section where the hiking trail was and the snakes were not regular visitors.

My friend raised a great point of not knowing what to do if we actually came across one. I have walked trails with them before and they have kept to themselves. I took comfort in the fact that they would rattle to warn me of their presence, but this is not always the case. I also know that younger snakes release more venom because they do not know how to retract as quickly as mature snakes. I learned, after research, the younger ones will not rattle. Further research, down the long rabbit hole, brought me to the information that rattlers will not always rattle before they strike. Even mature snakes may feel severely threatened, or be taken by surprise, and strike without warning. This information is permanently lodged in my brain now. So, the previous question…what does one do to prevent being bit besides bring a snake bite kit in case it happens? Remain calm and stay still! Leave snakes alone and give them space. Even in the resting position, do not approach. Avoid bushes. Here is a wonderful website from UC Davis filled with information if you would like to know more, and also what to do if you are ever bitten. Always travel with a buddy as well! Teaching kids to respect nature is of the utmost importance. It will save their lives. Thank you for reading and have a Thoughtful Thursday!

-Karen Hilliard

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Zion Shenanigans

Feathery Plants, smiles, and a whole lot of laughter! Throw in an amazing cafe with awesome staff and a blissful coffee shop on the way home..makes for a wonderful trip all around. My little family and I traveled to Utah recently near Salt Lake City. On the way home, we stopped in Zion, but not in the National Park. The line to get in was quite long and the baby was over being in the car, so we walked around town. While there, she found a plant with a beautiful feather-like way about it. We plucked one off and she carried it with her watching as the seeds danced around in the breeze. The dog liked it as well as she caressed his face with it and then he later sneezed. I got the most seeds in the face accompanied by huge belly laughs as I held our daughter in my arms. My husband’s beard and hair were decorated with the flora as well. No one was left out of our daughter’s pure joy. After good family fun, she decided to “walk” around the town with her feather. This plant was half the size of her so she received a lot of smiles from passer-bys. No one was immune to her happiness and she left many with smiles on their own faces as she passed them.

Karen Hilliard Art | Blog | Zion Shenanigans

After several blocks with the feather, we decided to cross the street and look at some of the local art shops. Another one of her favorite things was using the “flag” to cross the street. Zion has these wonderful orange flags attached to wooden sticks and they are strategically placed at both ends of the crosswalks. I loved the safety consideration for pedestrians throughout the town. I also loved the encouragement for people to bike or walk into the park. Along with all these joys and local shop shenanigans, we found an amazing cafe. MeMe’s! The food was delicious and the staff brought out a huge water bowl for our dog. The view of Zion was amazing from their establishment. They were so considerate and compassionate. Each member of the staff treated us as if we were their regulars and went there every day. Did I mention the food? Yes, but did I mention the crepes? No…well, they were simply…delectable. If you have a chance to go to MeMe’s Cafe while in Zion, I highly recommend it. I told someone about the cafe when I came home and they told me, “I go there every time I am in Zion! I love that place!” Thank you all for reading and I hope you had a Terrific Tuesday! More to come in the next blog, stay tuned!

-Karen Hilliard

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Tags New Blog

Follow the White Line

The wind spoke to her little soul and so she frolicked along the path. “Where are you going?” Her mother calmly asked. “Whi..te…Li..ne!” She replied, as her walk turned to a brisk pace. The wind guided her along the winding lane with cumulus clouds overhead. The sky was a beautiful cerulean blue and the sun shone brightly. Both mother and daughter needed their sunglasses on this windy day. Hats were a must as well. The wind howled and also gently pushed them forward along the white line. The little human entertained herself with a flying dragonfly on her arm. The larger human walked behind the little one while wearing a praying mantis on hers. The mother and daughter had bought the stuffed animal slap bracelets in the gift shop before exploring the outside elements. The wind continued to speak to the little one and she decided to sit on the line and just watch. Sitting for a moment in time, relaxing, finding her calm, then up and running again, along the “Whi..te…Li..ne!” Follow the white line, were the words she tried to say to her mother. Her mother obliged.

Before the windy walk, the two had fun exploring inside the informational center. They touched four different animal pelts. There was a beaver, a jackrabbit, a raccoon, and a coyote. The child liked the beaver and rabbit best. The coyote reminded them both of their dog at home. His fur and the coyote’s fur seemed very similar. The little one liked looking at the fish and thoroughly enjoyed the sculptures of the animals residing in the park. Her father told her the animal inside the giant snake was “sleeping,” so she remained extra quiet when she walked past the snake. Both mother and daughter were very respectful of their surroundings inside and outside during this adventure. They viewed paintings from the Nevada Watercolor Society’s Signature Show. They read about the ecosystem and waterways of the Wetlands. They had fun educating themselves on various bird calls, coyote calls, and the food chain of animals. The trip was a huge success! The best part, other than dirt, was, “follow the Whi..te…Li..ne!”

Thank you for reading and I hope you had a Wonderful Wednesday, or, a Terrific Tuesday, depending on when you are reading this!

-Karen Hilliard

I hope you enjoyed this different style of writing today and thank you again for reading!

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Tags New Blog, Wetlands