Category: New Painting

Prickling Pear Series

So many green hues dance around my palette as I create these tiny wonders. Yellow and blue intertwine with the movement and bring pleasing depth to the eye. I love how vastly different these paintings are even though the subject is the same. Even the plant is the same. Perspective. It amazes me how something can become so different even when it started from an identical source. Have you ever looked at something or someone for an extended period of time and noticed subtle changes. In a person the change can be the way their face lights up when they laugh and how it distorts if they feel upset. Nature has this similar way about it. The lighting of the sun can change the mood of the entire idea for a composition. The wind can blow differently day to day and rain clouds can roll in with drops of water coming from the sky. So many things can happen at any given moment and the idea that was sparked outside can drastically change at my art table once I am home. Amazing and fascinating.

I chose this cactus because it holds a special place in my heart and fills me with happy memories whenever I look upon it. The goal is to show how inviting the desert can be even when it is hot and scary to some people. This blog is an introduction to my new painting series. These paintings are meant to express emotion and inspire any feeling you have when you gaze upon them. I hope these watercolors transport you to a place in time where you can just sit and marvel at the beautiful colors of the world around you. Cacti sit still even in the wind when they are close to the ground. They are sturdy and resilient to so many of the elements they face. These plants remind me of important people in my own life and how much they have taught me. How sometimes it is more important to just sit and watch, or listen, and not share ones opinion but really be there in the moment for others. This series holds so many feelings for me and expresses so much in such a small piece of art. Each painting I create is a piece of myself. A memory, a hope or dream, a vision, and all that inspires me is in each stroke of my paintbrush. I hope you feel something when you look at these paintings. If I inspire one person, I will be elated! Thank you for reading and have a Marvelous Monday!

-Karen Hilliard

All paintings will be available soon. Please Contact me if you are interested and I will email you when they are released!

Karen Hilliard Art | Blog | Cactus Gardens

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.

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

Thank you again for all of your support!

Karen Hilliard Art | Blog | Support for the Artist | Art Support — 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 🙂

Tags New Blog, watercolor painting

Cactus Paintings

Water pools upon the paper and waits patiently for color to grace its presence. The color will bring the glistening clear liquid to life and create a new way of looking at the world. Hues will dance and bleed while moving in every direction or groove of the paper. Then, a shape, or form will come to life in the way of a subject. An object of attraction, affection, passion, memory, etc. Art is being made. Life is finding new meaning. Creation is happening. What will these colors form on the paper? Will it look the same to everyone who may gaze upon it? Will all the feelings and emotions people have towards this artwork be the same? No, is the answer to those last two questions. Art is not only a journey for the artist but also an entirely different experience for each person who views the piece that was created. Passion, drive…what are these? The answer: They are different for everyone. Currently, the new motivation or obsession is with desert life. My cactus in particular. I am fascinated by the complexity of the plant. It just sits there, yet, it creates and brings so much life, in and surrounding it.

All paintings will be available soon. Please Contact me if you are interested and I will email you when they are released!

How can something that just sits, silently, waiting to prick and protect itself, also be such an amazing world all on its own? The paddles hold water and liquid to quench the thirst of animals. Birds and bugs burrow into the cactus paddles creating shelter from the elements. The birds that nest inside hope for protection from predators, knowing the spines of the cactus will dissuade any creatures that pass by. However, the desert tortoise will just chomp down regardless of the pointy needles. Interesting. How do they do that? Doesn’t it hurt…even a tiny bit? Reptiles and birds are not the only ones to enjoy the cactus. Atop the paddles bloom beautiful flowers that attract pollinators to the nectar. The pollen brings life back to the bee hives and lifts the spirits of butterflies as well. Once the flowers are touched by the love of these insects, they can produce food. The beaver tail cactus creates amazing prickling pears that can be consumed and enjoyed. This blog is an introduction to my new painting series. I hope you enjoy it! Thank you for reading and have a Marvelous Monday!

-Karen Hilliard

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

Thank you again for all of your support!

Karen Hilliard Art | Blog | Rattlesnakes, Oh My! — Watercolor Journey

Karen Hilliard Art | Blog | Zion Shenanigans — Watercolor Journey

Tags New Blog, watercolor painting

A New Home

Sitting in a turquoise pot at the bottom of a mountain, with a view of beautiful sunsets, rests the cactus formed by one magic paddle. Now the cactus has a new home just outside the city limits. The hustle and bustle of cars and the sound of daily sirens are no longer heard as much. New life has been brought out and bright yellow flowers have bloomed. The blossoming of new beginnings for the cactus are on the horizon. New pollinators have been welcomed and new fruit has been created. The magic paddle now has grown into a mighty cactus. The sprinklers have given the plant a new life and new hope for the future. Dew drops glisten in the morning light and bugs make their way around the spines to see what they can find to eat. This cactus is pure magic. A life all of its own. One plant thriving in the desert. Creating an abundance of life and opportunity for others.

The yellow flowers attract many insects and birds. It is amazing to watch. They open with the rising sun and close with each sunset. The moonlight shines gloriously on the spines and the cactus is illuminated at night. This truly is a mystical plant. A cactus can hold so much uncertainty and pain all the while having hope then resilience. This plant is persistent and shows perseverance daily. Tortoises don’t mind the pain and eat the paddles for hydration even though the plant struggles to protect itself from these very moments. Insects and birds create homes in the paddles and find shelter from the storms. Cactus plants are like little hotels for creatures who need a home. It amazes me how I can sit and watch a cactus for long periods of time. I grew up along the ocean of California and now the Nevada desert has a huge piece of my heart. What is a place you love? Thank you for reading and have a marvelous Monday!!

-Karen Hilliard

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

Thank you again for all of your support!

Tags New Blog, watercolor painting

Prickling Pear Harvest

The boy and the girl were so excited about their magic paddle and how well it was growing. They reminisced about a trip they had taken to Sedona, Arizona where they both tasted the Prickling Pears for the first time. They had hiked through the desert all day and then were walking back to their hotel room when they spied some amazing beaver tail cactus. The boy found some pears on the ground and chose to pick them up. He carried them all the way to the hotel where he proceeded to try and pick each spine out by hand. The girl spent an hour pulling the spines out of his hand while they both smiled at one another. After all the silliness was done, they sat eating the pears while watching the southwest sun set behind the mountains. The taste of the pears will always be delicious because of the moments leading up to trying them. Do you have a special food that brings up such a happy memory for you? Have you noticed that when you try it again, it may taste different? Each time we taste a pear from a cactus we remember how sweet they were that day in Sedona.

Karen Hilliard Art | Blog | Prickling Pear Harvest

Recently, my husband and I picked the pears off of our cactus and tried them. They were not as sweet as we remembered but while we talked about our experience in Sedona, we noticed the flavor of the pears started to get better. It amazes me how such a wonderful memory can bring back sensory details as well as mental ones. Emotional connection is truly amazing. The new painting series I am creating is based on the feelings and moments in time of our Sedona trip. These paintings encompass so many feelings intertwined in the colors and movement of each brush stroke. I hope you will enjoy the journey of our cactus and the prickling pears that are developing this season. Our tortoise also enjoyed some of the fruit last night. We loved having the opportunity to give her a more natural dietary experience. Thank you all for reading and I hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

-Karen Hilliard

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

Thank you again for all of your support!

Tags New Blog, watercolor painting

Adventures on the Inca Trail

Part One

The hike along the trail was a stimulus of all our senses. The sun was bright overhead and shining it’s warmth down upon us. We were blessed with cool weather which was nice since we wore long pants, long sleeved mosquito repelling shirts, and hats with a sun brim. REI in the United States is a magical place to shop for any outdoor excursion needs. We found everything we needed there right before we left. We were confident in our hiking boots and they kept us blister free the entire time in Peru and beyond. The brand we chose was Solomon. They were and are very comfortable to hike in. Our feet were very dry in the boots and water did not get in when we hiked through streams or rivers. I was super happy to photograph our boots on the Inca Trail for our memory book.

The hike had many down and uphill gradient changes with steep stairs in certain sections. The trail was carved out nicely through the forest due to many people walking on it. We loved that everyday was a workout and found everything in Peru eventually went up. The stairs to climb had very high steps which I will write more about in my blog on Machu Picchu when we get there. For now, I will stick focus on our hike to the hot springs. Before we could reach the springs, we stopped for extra water and some souvenirs along the mountain pass. These Peruvian People put a little store on the trail for tourists to take a break and it was lovely. We got to see what happens to a Poinsettia Plant when given the opportunity to grow naturally and not trimmed down. They are huge, and look like trees filled with red or pink leaves, depending on the type of Poinsettia. After this sweet little stop, we traveled on to have lunch at a local restaurant right on the river.

Exotic Flower. Peru Series Number 2 — AVAILABLE CLICK HERE

We set our small backpacks down in the restaurant and had some time before food was served. As we walked around the perimeter of the building we came across hammocks the owners hung outside for weary travelers to take a nap in. It was lovely to take a break and listen to the roar of the river alongside the hammocks. We also spied a beautiful green grasshopper bug inside of a brightly pink colored flower. I wanted to share this little guy with you all again! When we were finished walking around the food was also finished being prepared. All of us gathered and sat at the table and were served to eat family style to just grab what we wanted to eat. It was a wonderful middle of the hike and we all just wanted to stay and lay in the hammocks for several hours, but we had to trek on to Santa Teresa.

Have a Wonderful Weekend and thank you for reading!

-Karen Hilliard

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

Thank you again for all of your support!

Karen Hilliard Art | Watercolor Painting | Inca Trail Number 2 — **AVAILABLE CLICK HERE**

Tags Inca Trail, New Blog, watercolor painting

Rainbow Mountains of Peru

Oh the Rainbow Mountains!!! Yes, 3 exclamation points and should be more for the excitement we felt walking at 16,000’ to see them. We had an interesting experience to get to these mountains. The tour was booked before we left the USA through a different guide than our Machu Picchu trip. A pick up time of 3:45am at a church turned into us getting left and luckily picked up by a taxi at 6am. The bus had gone to our hostel by mistake and the company sent a taxi for us later when they realized we had been waiting at the church. We had warm clothes and were fine. I am so pleased we waited because seeing the Rainbow Mountains is something I will always remember.

Chris and I had a lovely quick breakfast and then the ride to the top of the mountain. The oxygen was super low and the trees stopped growing at one point as we walked. We saw llamas, sheep, and horses. These people who work on the mountain are amazing! They pick people up at any point on the super hard to breathe trail and then take them by horseback up the mountain. Now, let me explain. The people hold the horse by the reins and run by foot up to the top of the mountain, then drop the rider off and run down the mountain for another fair. These workers do this all day long while tourists struggle to breathe just walking the trail. How impressive to be so adapted to that life.

Rainbow Mountains. Peru Series Number 5 — **AVAILABLE CLICK HERE**

My fifth painting in the series is one of the mountain range. The trail to the top was brown, green, and blue skies. Once on the top the sky opened up, rained, snowed, and was really cold. We got just enough pictures before this happened. The colors of the mountain are breathtaking just as much as the hike to get to them. I did not have time to sketch up there because we arrived late but I am grateful for pictures, and the ability to paint from them later. The runners with the horses offered me a ride many times going up the mountain as I was not doing well. I made it walking thanks to Chris. Again, the best person for me to travel with or do anything in life with. I wish you all have someone fun and amazing to travel with. This place is worth seeing! Thank you for reading and have a Marvelous Monday!!

-Karen Hilliard

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 🙂

Thank you again for all of your support!

Tags New Blog, Peru, watercolor painting

The Inca Trail

Peru is an interesting destination filled with glorious things to see. My husband and I decided to go ziplining through the jungle on the way to Machu Picchu as part of our package. We had not signed up for it but got talked into it by our wonderful group of travelers we met there. One of the once in a lifetime experiences we didn’t plan on, but oh my goodness, turned out to be amazing. I did not get a picture of this but was able to do a quick sketch in our travel book of Chris with his helmet on which I will share with all of you. After this great time, we continued on the trail to some hot springs where we relaxed and I did a little painting of the mountains.

Inca Trail | Peru | Machu Picchu | Karen Hilliard Art Blog

We continued our hike along the Inca Trail the next day and walked along the railroad tracks. Chris had fun walking on the tracks and counting the rails. We forget what number he got to before he fell off but it was exciting and kept our minds busy while trekking the 19 miles that day. When the trains came, we would get out of the way and head towards the bushes…but we did get a really nice picture of one of them to remember the experience. I decided this would be Number 3 in the series of Peru Tiny Paintings. We continued on this trail all the way to Aguas Calientes…the city that sits at the bottom of Machu Picchu.

Train.Peru Series Number 3 — AVAILABLE CLICK HERE

Number 4 in the series is a llama eating the grass on the tiers of Machu Picchu. The morning is filled with foggy midst and a quiet calm. I loved being in this place so early after hiking up 1,600 steps to the top. Each step is about 2 American stairs put together. We really had to hike our knees up to make the step and Chris is 6’ 4” and I am 6′ 1” and these were high steps for us. Entering the ruins was marvelous and seeing the llamas serenely chewing their breakfast instantly slowed my heart rate. This had to be the 4th painting. I really hope everyone feels calm when looking at it.

Lama. Peru Series Number 4 — UPDATE: SOLD

I hope this post inspires anyone who reads it to travel outside their comfort zone. This world really is filled with kind people. They are in every crevice. Have a fantastic Friday and thank you for reading!

-Karen Hilliard

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 🙂

Thank you again for all of your support!

Tags Inca Trail, New Blog, Peru, watercolor painting

Obsession with Trees

Two of my favorite places to hike in Las Vegas are Red Rock Canyon and Mt. Charleston. As I hike, fallen trees align the paths of the desert terrain. The trees in the park of Red Rock Canyon blend in with the sandstone. The particles of sand get blown by the wind into the crevices of the wood and soften the sharp edges of the bark. The erosion of the trees create colors of yellow, blue, and orange comparative to the desert surroundings.

The tree I am working on is a root system from Red Rock Canyon Middle Creek Trail. I saw many faces in this formation and sketching my ideas created even more images for me. I love hearing what other people see in my paintings because I see entirely different intricacies. In this piece, I see a fish and very subtle square lines in the wood. There are so many different wonders to see in the desert.

Another place in the desert filled with trees is Mt. Charleston. This magical place sits at a different elevation than Red Rock Canyon and the trees are warped with wind, rain, and snow. Bristlecone Pines are formed into smooth sculptures and have a beautiful yellow, blue, and grey palette. Ponderosa Pines vary from brown, black, to orange, and tan. Along the trails of the mountain, limestone and sandstone riddle the path.

Contrast of color on the mountain is magnificent. The fallen trees are cradled in green forests and vines as well as sitting lonely at the top of trails. Mary Jane falls has many pine trees and switchbacks of shaded areas to rest. Fletcher Canyon Trail is lined with green undergrowth and limestone rocks. This trail also has various plants and trees along the path to the canyon. The painting I am currently working on in my sketchbook is from Fletcher Canyon. I was fascinated with the differences in the light and darks of the photograph. The wood set in a bed of green amazed me.

Thank you for reading! I would love to hear what you see in the wood. Please send an email or contact me. Have a Marvelous Monday!!

Have a great day!

-Karen Hilliard

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 🙂

Thank you again for all of your support!

I am very thankful for my friend @jcloud gifting me the book The Hidden Life of Trees. It is one of my must reads if any of you are looking for an excellent book on trees. The author is Peter Wohlleben.

Tags New Blog, watercolor painting

Color Variations

I think what I love most about sunflowers, other than how happy they make me feel, is all the different ranges of colors they can have. We were lucky enough to grow a red sunflower with a purple stem and beautiful greenish leaves in our garden. This sunflower blossomed alongside our larger yellow flowers. The bees were just as interactive with this one, however, the dark center showed little contrast with the bees. I decided Number 4 in the Sunflower Series would be our wonderful red flower.

Upon this decision, I had no idea how many different colors would grace my painting palette. I had to bring out another palette case in order to reach the values of color this sunflower demanded. I used 5 variations of red, 2 yellows, 2 greens, brown, blue, and 2 different size paint brushes to complete this 4” x 6” Tiny Painting for my website. I chose to use a larger paintbrush this time to work the preliminary space of the center and the petals. Then, I went back in with a size 2/0 brush for my detailed work. Normally I use small paintbrushes for the whole painting but I wanted to try something new. After many layers, and detailed work, I am pleased with how this painting turned out. I decided my next one would be yellow so the website felt fluid with color transitions. What do you think?

Sunflower Series 1 Number 5 • Watercolor Tiny Painting • Karen Hilliard Art • 4 x 6 — AVAILABLE CLICK HERE

Number 5 in the series is an opened up representation of the Number 3 flower that grew right next to the red one. This sunflower bloomed later and opened halfway. It took a whole day to fully open. I love the change in color from Number 3 to Number 5. I can really see the effects the bees had on the flower when they pollinated it. The seeds changed to a darker brown, almost black, and the paint I used had more contrasts of yellow than the first painting. I tried to show the paint tubes in the video I made that I posted on my YouTube channel if you would like to see it. In the past, I just posted videos 1-4 of the Sunflower Series on my YouTube channel, see them here -> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN8ROdnQZTU

Thank you for wandering through the weeds with me to find these beautiful sunflowers. I hope you enjoyed our adventure and the painting process videos posted on YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook. Please let me know your thoughts by sending me an email from the Contact Page. Have a great weekend!

-Karen Hilliard

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 🙂

Thank you again for all of your support!

Sunflower Series 1 Number 7 • Watercolor Tiny Painting • Karen Hilliard Art • 4 x 6 — AVAILABLE CLICK HERE

Karen Hilliard Art Blog | Sunflower Series 1 | Tiny Paintings | 4x6 | Original Watercolors — AVAILABLE CLICK HERE

Sunflowers and Bees

Waking up every morning to the sound of buzzing bees is amazing. These creatures tirelessly do their job of pollinating every ounce of the sunflower. I was lucky enough to get some photographs of them in flight and landing on the flower. They move quickly, so I was very excited to capture such wonderful moments. As I zoomed in on the photographs I could see the fuzziness of the bees. I wanted the first couple of paintings in the Sunflower Series to show this excitement.

Sunflower Series 1 Number 1• Watercolor Tiny Painting • Karen Hilliard Art • 4 x 6 — UPDATE: SOLD

Number 1 in the series is a close up of the bee working and taking care of the plant. The bee dug its head into the shoots and pollinated each one. I love watching them work. I chose to use the same colors in the flower for the bee to show its natural camouflage. The pollen dusted the bee and top part of the flower with a brilliant yellow. I chose Lemon Yellow from Windsor and Newton Professional Watercolors to show the fluffy pollen look. I had so much fun painting this bee and decided the next painting would be an even closer representation of another bee. While working on this series, I sold the first painting and the little creature flew to a new home on the other side of the nation. Our little Nevada bee turned into a Florida bee for eternity. I wonder where the rest of the bee paintings will fly to next? Will they go around the world? Time will tell. For now, here is the next one in the series…still cozy in our Nevada home.

Number 2 in the series focuses on a bee with pollen packets on its legs. I was fascinated that the bee could continue to fly and continue its job while being weighed down with pollen. I painted the object larger than it is to show its cute little face. I was able to zoom in on the subject and see all the tiny hairs on its head. Creating the face of this bee was my favorite part of the painting. I also enjoyed making very thin lines with many different colors to show the texture of the petals. I hope you are entertained by the videos I have been posting on Facebook and Instagram showing the paintings as well as a bit of information behind the blogs. Please contact me and let me know your thoughts on the blogs, paintings, or videos. I appreciate you taking a walk with me through my garden and marveling at the bees. Have a wonderful day!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags New Blog, watercolor painting