Category: New Painting

Llamas and More Await!

There were llamas everywhere we looked munching on grass throughout Machu Picchu. The brown and white ones were especially interesting to look at. I was partial to my all white llama that watched me paint for 60 seconds. He was a cheery one. None of the llamas spit on us so that was nice. Did you know that in the wild they fight off predators with their talon like hooves? They are fearless!! They live in high altitudes and their coat keeps them extra warm including their long graceful necks. I decided to do a Tiny Painting watercolor series on these llamas because they were just a dream come true for me to see them.

LLAMA **ORIGINAL WATERCOLORS 10% OFF TODAY ONLY!!**

I would always see pictures of Machu Picchu with llamas walking around it in tourist photos. Seeing them has been on my bucket list for a while. Right when we entered the ruins it was super foggy and misty. Once the midst cleared we saw a brown and white llama immediately munching grass in one of the stone tiers. We were a safe distance away so I got my camera out and started snapping pictures. Chris and I are used to being super respectful of wildlife and try to never disturb them in their habitats. These llamas, however, were very used to people. As we walked up the many stairs to take more pictures of Machu Picchu, you know the classic one I posted in my last blog, there were llamas abound!

When we found an initial photo opportunity we came across three llamas lying down with their necks stretched upward eating the leaves off trees. I stopped to take a picture with them for my nephew because I got him a Machu Picchu book with a llama on the cover. After this amazing experience was complete we got our photo with the mountain behind us. We were discussing how high we would have to climb to get the ‘classic’ photo of the whole mountain and ruins together. We walked on, and up many stairs, then found the spot. That is when we ran into the other person from our group and he helped us with the photo. After this we sat and had the wonderful llama experience I shared in “Exploring Machu Picchu.” After Mr. Llama was done watching me paint, Chris and I sat together marveling at the landscape and remembering our first hike where we both said “Machu Picchu” for the place we wanted to travel the most.

Thank you for reading and have a wonderful weekend! I look forward to writing about the journey back to Aguas Calientes, the shops, and the train ride back to the hostel next week. Stay tuned…

-Karen Hilliard

10% OFF TODAY ONLY! ORIGINAL LLAMA WATERCOLORS…

Machu Picchu Llamas Number 1 | Karen Hilliard Art | Watercolor | Original Art | Tiny Paintings — CLICK ON THE PAINTING TO GO TO THE ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR!

Tags New Blog, Peru, watercolor painting

Machu Picchu in All its Glory

Reaching the top of the stairs to Machu Picchu was a huge feat. We met up with Papi and the rest of the group and then proceeded to wait in a very long and grouped up line. There were so many people! We were glad to have our guide at this point of the experience. He led us all in and told us to stop and look around for a minute to take it all in. The midst rolling over the mountains in the early morning light was magical. It felt so surreal for Chris and I and we were speechless. This is saying a lot because we talk all the time. We have spent hours in road trips cross country with no radio in just listening to one another. So, I o have no words, was wonderful. We both just stood there admiring the landscape. Everyone in the group actually, all stood in silence. Then we heard Papu’s voice in the wind.

He was ready to tell us all about where we were, the people who built Machu Picchu, what the ruins represented, and so on. He told us once we were finished with his tour there would be time to explore individually and he would be gone. We were going to miss him and his great sense of humor but we’re so grateful for the stories and lessons he shared. He took us to the mirror pools, a lookout place, explained carvings, etc. we all stood around listening in awe and wonder. I sketched in a couple of places while Papi was talking and everyone enjoyed this. At the end, we all said our goodbyes and one person from our group took a giant avocado out of his bag, then started to eat it! Chris wanted to know where he got it and that will be in a future blog!

After we were done looking at him devour an avocado, we said goodbye to the people from Taiwan and they headed up to Wayna Picchu. I will tell you about their experience in tomorrows blog along with more on my and Chris’s Machu Picchu adventure. When everyone dispersed, Chris and I had to figure out where we were going and we went the wrong way. The ruins are set up on a one way system. We did not know this and a nice gentleman kept telling us we needed to turn around. Every time we thought we were going the right way we ran into him and he said nope, in Peruvian with a lot of head shaking and pointing. Eventually we went the right direction and ended up outside the gate of Machu Picchu super sad that we could not get back in. After waiting around, we heard others talking, followed their lead, and got back in with a stamp. This time…we would not mess up! More on what we saw in tomorrow’s blog and the llamas!!!! Below are some Peru Paintings I am putting on SALE for 10% OFF as a special deal to go with these blogs!

Thank you for reading and Happy Monday!

-Karen Hilliard

For the Original Train Painting Click Here! For the Original Grasshopper Painting Click Here! For the First Llama Click Here! For the Second Llama Click Here! Enjoy 10% off from Today Monday the 23rd Through Saturday the 28th of October!

Tags New Blog, Peru, watercolor painting

Climb to Machu Picchu

The walk in the wee hours of darkness to the base of a mountain with my best friend was amazing!! We had vouchers for the hike up to Machu Picchu and were patiently waiting in line with our passports to cross the bridge. Upon arriving to the line there were several people waiting, which we did not expect. We should’ve assumed there be this many people since it’s such a popular spot in the world but we had no idea it would be like Disneyland. It was unreal. How many people were there at 4 AM getting ready to hike up several steps to the ruins of Machu Picchu.

The bridge over the river from Aguascalientes on the trail to Machu Picchu was very wide to appease the mini travelers, I am assuming. It was modern and well-built, and the signs at the end of the bridge to get up to Machu Picchu were very self-explanatory, which we appreciated. It was super dark so we decided we would take pictures of those signs on the way down, so they’ll be in a later blog. In this blog, I’ll talk to you about how dark it was, the need for headlamps, the mist coming over the mountains, and just the constant laughter of Chris and I while we hiked up trying to stay out of people‘s way who were hiking at a much faster pace.

CLICK HERE FOR THE ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR!

The hike was super dark, and Chris and I were very fortunate that we brought our headlamps with us, as we did forget our tent poles. We packed everything for this trip, including our tent, then we forgot to bring the polls and we’re thankful to stay at all the youth hostels along the way. Luckily, however, we did have our headlamps, which we didn’t need for hiking up to Machu Picchu. As we hiked, we thought about our tour guide and how he had gone up on this hike several times. We wondered if this was why he decided to meet us at the top by taking the bus because his “knees weren’t what they used to be.” We were trying to ponder how many times he climbed these steps to Machu Picchu because we were only on a ten day tour with him and there are 365 days a year. We were also his last tour because of his age so he had to have done this trail many, many times. As we got higher and higher, the sun started to come out, and we were able to see the mist over the mountains, but the mountain still was a shadow like silhouette, black. It was surreal, beautiful, just an amazing experience all around for both Chris and I.

I think my favorite part about the hike was the constant image of seeing llamas when we got to the top. I really wanted to get pictures of llamas and just sit on the grassy knoll of Machu Picchu painting the ruins, while being around llamas. I was really hopeful that this would happen. Chris and I were crawling up the steps and felt like they were so high, almost up to our knees. We had to high-step, and he is six foot four and I am six foot one so us high-stepping is saying something. He was excited to see a part of the ruins where the steps were on the side of a cliff. They are known to just be rocks coming out of the rock and it is a very deadly trail on Wayna Picchu. We did not know this at the time and did not go all the way up to the top. I guess we are going to have to go back someday soon. For now, I will write more about Machu Picchu next week!

Have a happy weekend and stay safe…be careful if you do the “Stairs of Death.”

-Karen Hilliard

Tags Inca Trail, New Blog, Peru, watercolor painting

Aguas Calientes…The Ice Shower

At the base of Machu Picchu, high in the mountains of Peru, there is a city named for it’s hot waters. The river flows through this beautiful place and hot springs abound. This being said, let me explain about the ice shower experience we all had. When Papi gave us the room assignments he gifted everyone rooms with two people a room. We got a place all to ourselves the whole trip because he called us the honeymooners. He was a super sweet and informative guide on his last tour, for those of you new to my blogs. You can read more about him in previous blogs such as, “Delicious Fruit,” “The Inca Trail Begins,” or “Biking Down the Andes.” He is in all of my previous Peru blogs. Back to the showers that will send chills down your spine.

Chris and I arrived exhausted with tired everything!! All of our limbs ached and when we met Papi he mentioned dinner in an hour. We got the keys to our room and I immediately sat on the floor to stretch. I wanted to take the first shower since all the other places Chris had, because I always needed to stretch first, and when he did, the water was warm for him and cold for me. This time everything was different. He came out of the shower, not long, and I asked how the water was. He said, “my nipples are so hard they can cut glass!” I was not looking forward to my shower, let me tell you…and it was as if ice was coming out of a machine and freezing every part of my body. My hair even felt crispy like it had a frost…no, it didn’t…but in my imagination…it did. We just thought maybe the hotel was older and the pipes had cold water? We were unsure. Our room was in a different wing than the others so we finished up and got dressed, then headed to the hotel lobby to meet up with everyone.

Karen Hilliard Art Blog | Art Blog | Blog | Aguas Calientes | Peru

As we sat down, three more travelers were shaking their heads. One person from our group asked us, “did you have hot water?” We replied no and they said, “man, did you feel that water? It was like ice!!” Yes sir, we felt it, and it was! Other people from other groups were all talking about it as well. I asked Chris if I should title this one, “The Ice Shower,” I should type it in under “Aguas Calientes.” Anyways, we all headed to dinner and walked the lovely streets of the city. Colors surrounded us with the rainbow flag. Aguas Calientes is in the Cusco Region and the flag represents the Inca culture and the pride of the people of Cusco. Along with the rainbows and colorful shops, we spied many weary travelers. All of us were chuckling in our heads that they would soon be more awake after taking a shower!!

Thank you for reading and have a wonderful Wednesday! On Friday we head to Machu Picchu…stay tuned!

Inca Trail Series 1 Number 1 | Karen Hilliard Art | Peru — **CLICK ON THE PAINTINGS TO SEE THEM ON THE WEBSITE!**

**CLICK ON THE PAINTINGS TO SEE THEM ON THE WEBSITE!**

Here are the paintings in this Inca Trail Series so far…Number 1 is from Blog, “Trekking to Santa Teresa”. Number 2, is a work in progress. Number 3 is from Blog “Delicious Fruit.” Number 4 is from Blog “Hot Springs.”

-Karen Hilliard

Tags Aguas Calientes, Inca Trail, New Blog, Peru, watercolor painting

Still Walking…Arrived!

The walk to the city of Aguas Calientes was a long one. A cool breeze and shade from the trees made the temperature bearable. Chris and I had long sleeve shirts and pants on to keep the bugs at bay. I wanted to tell you about the collage photos in my last blog, “The Walk to Aguas Calientes.” The photos show Chris walking on railroad tracks, which we both did to pass the time. He made up a game of how long we could stay on the tracks hopping from one section to the next. The rails were super slippery and I did not last long but we think he made it to 40 in a row. We had to jump off when a train was coming of course, so this hindered the game a bit, or made it more exciting. We did this for a long time so several of the miles. I love that we always invent new games to play depending on our surroundings and try to fully immerse ourselves in every situation we find ourselves in.

It was fun watching for trains because our injured friend had to take the train into the city instead of walking the last 19 miles. She had hurt her leg and could not make the journey until it started to heal per the doctor’s orders. Stitches are nothing to mess with especially on a trip in another country. As we walked and had to hop off the rails, we would wave and wonder if she was in the train. After several hours passed we actually saw her in one of the train cars and waved. She did not see us but we saw her and were super excited!! I had taken a picture of this exact train as it was coming and then she was on it! What are those odds, we thought? So when I got home, back to the States, I did a little watercolor of the painting to always remember the moment. I later created a watercolor of that same picture for the world to enjoy and I hope it brings much enjoyment. Trains are a wonderful form of transportation and bring to mind so many happy memories for me of the winter season. I often drift off to think about the Polar Express or the Hogwarts Express. It was cute watching Chris wave and hearing, “Do you think she saw us?”

Another thing Chris did that was super sweet was to carry my wet clothes. He tied them to his backpack so they could dry in the sun. He said he would be my clothesline. So sweet! I had taken a shower before we left for ziplining and put my clothes in a plastic bag to dry them later. My sarong acted as my towel for everything this trip. I always carry a sarong after a trip taken in Barcelona, Spain with my cousin before I met Chris. Maybe I will blog about that one sometime as it was just as interesting. Back to the moment of wet clothes…Basically, he got several looks and heads were shaken, to all of this he just smiled and carried on. He is full of wonder and great ideas. My clothes dried by the time we reached Aguas Calientes which was good because it was getting dark. We arrived at dinner time and met up with Papi for room assignments. I will share more about this on Wednesday and the ice shower.

Happy Monday and have a great start to your week. Thank you for reading!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags Inca Trail, New Blog, Peru, watercolor painting

Santa Teresa

Finally reaching our destination for ultimate relaxation was wonderful. There were showers where we could rinse off before getting into the magical waters. The divine hot springs of Santa Teresa were there for years prior and in our lifetime they had been sectioned off by mankind into various size pools for mankind’s enjoyment. We were grateful to relax and rejuvenate after a very long hike through the jungle.

Our entire group got ready and went into the waters while Chris and I sat outside of them and waited. The lighting was perfect and the sun was ready to go and sleep behind the mountains. I had a little bit of time to create a painting in my travel sketchbook so I decided to enjoy that moment before dipping into the hot springs. Chris chose to hang out with me and talk to me while I painted. The rest of our group soon realized I was an artist and it became a point of interest in every stop we had after this.

When the painting was finished, Chris and I went into the waters and just looked at each other with a smile on our faces. It was a magical moment for sure. One of those times where everything just felt right, calm, peaceful, and yet exciting all at the same time. When we all got out and the sun had set, we finished the day in Santa Teresa. Our sleeping arrangements that night were wonderful and the group decided to give Chris and I a room to ourselves. Papi and the wonderful people chose to gift us a private room for the rest of the trip as a honeymoon gift. They were all super kind and this was an amazing experience for Chris and I. We slept so good and woke up, joined everyone for breakfast at a local restaurant, and got to walk around the town for a bit.

I hope you all have a marvelous Monday. Here are the paintings in this Inca Trail Series so far…Number 1 is from Blog, “Trekking to Santa Teresa.” Number 2, is a work in progress. Number 3 is from Blog “Delicious Fruit.” Number 4 is from Blog “Hot Springs.” Thank you for traveling around Peru with us, reading these blogs, and Wednesday we will take you on our zip lining adventure!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags New Blog, Peru, watercolor painting

Delicious Fruit

Trekking to Santa Teresa Part 2

We set out to finish the trek to Santa Teresa with our bellies full, bodies strengthened, and minds rejuvenated. What goes up must come down is a fun saying and an even truer statement for this hiking experience. After walking up almost the whole way from the hostel to the little store, then onward to the restaurant, we now were going down towards the river. We walked along the river’s path hunting for wild orchids and butterflies. Chris and I saw a beautiful blue butterfly and followed it while keeping up with the other humans in our group. We constantly have fun and jump in and out of our imaginations. This kept the whole trip on the trail quite stimulating and exciting.

Nearing the end of the trail to the river, we came to an abrupt stop. This is where Papi told us what we would be doing next. There was a bridge going over the entire river that we had to cross. It was modern and very wide so we were not nervous but we did have to walk more staggered and less altogether to keep the weight even while walking across. At the end of the bridge there was a nice older woman selling fruit. Chris and I bought some and they were quite refreshing. The peel looked like an orange but when we opened it up they had seeds like a passion fruit and tasted like a cross between both. Sweet and citrus flavoring touched our tongues and continued down our throats nourishing us with hydration.

**CLICK HERE FOR THE ORIGINAL PAINTING!!**

These were a wonderful treat to sustain us for the hike ahead. We had a ways to go before we could cross the river on a pulley system. We decided to savor the moment and enjoy the delicious fruit as we looked around at marvelous beauty. The rocks along the river were breathtaking. I am always fascinated that a river can rage and run so rapidly yet the foliage near it can be calm and wispy blowing lightly in the wind. I look forward to sharing the rest of our hike with you and taking you to the Hot Springs of Santa Teresa.

Have a Wonderful Wednesday and thank you for reading!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags New Blog, Peru

September

The month of September is filled with such joy, warmth, and love. The seasons are officially starting to change from Summer to Autumn. Certain parts of the country may notice a change in temperature, colors on the trees may be transitioning, and the excitement of holiday vacations are in the air. Here in the desert we are lucky if the weather starts to cool. Chris often says the temperature does not change until November, but this year, we have felt a slight shift in the heat. We are getting very excited to hike the dog in this new season. After so many rainstorms, the desert will be alive with colors. I cannot wait to go out, take photographs, and share with you all. For now, we are staying safe and indoors. Everytime I wish to travel I remember the dog has a fur coat and it would just be miserable for him.

Fall in Red Rock Series 1 Number 7 | Karen Hilliard Art | Tiny Paintings | 4x6 | Original | Watercolor — **CLICK THE PHOTOGRAPH TO SEE THE PAINTING ON MY WEBSITE!**

Fall in Red Rock Series 1 Number 9 | Tiny Paintings | Karen Hilliard Art | khilliardart | 4x6 | Watercolor — **CLICK THE PHOTOGRAPH TO SEE THE PAINTING ON MY WEBSITE!**

Recently I have been sharing past experiences and trips with you all. The fall series I created was from a hike taken a few years ago during the Autumn season. Looking through old photographs is quite joyous for me. I often say that I have taken so many reference photos and may not have enough time in my lifetime to paint everything I wish to. However, I am sure going to try and share all my visions with the world. A huge feat this is for sure! The recent sketchbook painting “Autumn is Here” has been one of the more fun projects for me. A lot of energy and time was placed into every centimeter of this painting. I am very happy to have been able to create a print for everyone. I hope people will enjoy having this painting hanging on their wall for years to come.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE LIMITED EDITION PRINT “AUTUMN IS HERE”

The tiny painting series was wonderful to paint as well since I love small surface areas. Each of these paintings has brought back so many memories of Fall. So many traditions happen this time of year and I am excited to create some new traditions as well. This season holds my favorite color palette as well. What are some of your traditions or favorite memories this time of year? Is there any food you enjoy or recipes you would want to share? I have been drinking hot chocolates regularly just dreaming of cooler weather. Maybe this is why I feel a drop in the temperature and my husband does not…because I am imagining the chill on my face as I drink hot beverages. I love how certain smells can transcend me to different places!

I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday and thank you for reading!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags New Blog, red rock canyon, September, watercolor painting

Fall

Fall is one of the most beautiful times of the year other than Spring. In the early months of the year, flowers bloom all around the United States and fill our views with delightful colors. In the later months, colors illuminate our optic nerve differently. Oranges, browns, reds, and deep hues of fire fill forests with warmth and welcome the cool seasons approaching. Fall is a time of gathering together, warming by a fire, and sipping hot chocolate. Pumpkin patches are in full swing, the holidays are on their way, and families are making plans to gather together. A warm hug surrounds everyone and they just have to open their arms to accept the love. All of these feelings inspired my recent series of paintings from Red Rock Canyon State Park here in Nevada.

Fall in Red Rock Canyon Series 1 Number 5 | Karen Hilliard Art | Watercolor | Tiny Paintings | 4x6 — **CLICK THE PICTURE TO GO TO THE PAINTING** **YOU WISH TO SEE**!

Paintings, Number 1, 2, and 3, have gone off to their new homes and 4-8 have been created. These lovely paintings await a nice home to share the joy of Fall. I am currently working on 9 and 10. This has been a very fun series to create and gives me such joy. I love the feeling that these Tiny Paintings may bring someone else happiness and uplift them. So many of my happiest memories are of this time of year and I try to portray this in my paintings. The months of Fall can be cold and frigid which many people do not prefer; so in these paintings, I try to show the warmth through the black dreary coldness. I want them to represent good times and restore positive memories in their viewers.

Fall in Red Rock Number 4 | Karen Hilliard Art | Tiny Paintings | 4x6 — **CLICK THE PICTURE TO GO TO THE PAINTING** **YOU WISH TO SEE**!

Some questions I would ask are:

What are your memories of Fall and Winter? Were they happy or not so fun? What memories do you want to create now that you are older? My answer to the last one is new traditions with my family. I want to keep doing the traditions I had with my family growing up and extend new ideas with new experiences for my little family here in the desert. I would love to find a local pumpkin patch and pick out pumpkins, have hot cocoa, take many photos, and walk around the patch. Laughter, for me, needs to be in every memory. Simple moments have had the most impact on my life and have sparked my imagination in amazing ways. Like the Hay Bale Maze in the television show Gilmore Girls, a simple moment. The whole town was upset about the money spent on the maze and it ended up being a wonderful experience for everyone. Even the character Luke enjoyed it! So that is what I wish for this Fall Season, simple moments. What do you wish for?

Thank you for reading and have a great week!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags fall, fall leaves, fall season, New Blog, red rock canyon, watercolor painting

Fall Leaves

Creating the colors for fall leaves is wonderful. I use about four to five layers of paint on these little beauties. Watching the water flow and form together to create a new color is my favorite part. Winsor and Newton Professional Watercolours are my favorite medium so far. If anyone would like to know the colors I use, please leave a comment and I will post them within 24-48 hours. Also, if anyone has any questions regarding watercolor, I am happy to help in any way I can. Now, back to the fall!

CLICK HERE FOR “FALL IN RED ROCK SERIES 1 NUMBER 2”

“Fall in Red Rock Canyon Series 1 Number 2” was a joy to create. I say this a lot because painting is something I enjoy very much. I love creating these worlds for all of you viewers to enjoy and always hope my paintings are looked upon with love for many years. Number 2 in the series has deep yellow, orange, red, and golden hues throughout the leaves. The focus of this Tiny Painting is the contrast of cools and warms. I used ink to get deep dark shadows and a combination of layering watercolor on top of the ink for darker effects as well as subtle shadows. The tree branches were fun to ink out with their rough bark appearance. Then, I used the watercolor to bring depth into the bark.

Do you have a certain part of this piece you like more than the rest? This painting really reminds me of the fall season. Any time I travel during the cooler months I look for changing colors throughout the land. Pine trees are beautiful and keep their green pigment in the pine needles and I enjoy how they are dispersed between deciduous trees. It intrigues me that trees in a Deciduous Forest can produce such beautiful leaves to protect them from heat, then they change color when the cold weather comes, and disperse or shed their leaves when they are no longer needed. As spring comes, so do more leaves and the cycle repeats the following year. This may be where my fascination with trees was formed. These giant beautiful protectors are also very intelligent survivors that will outlive us, if we let them be.

Thank you for reading and have a happy Wednesday!

-Karen Hilliard