Category: Red Rock Canyon

Yucca Plants

Karen Hilliard Art | Blog | Inspired by Red Rock Canyon

While on an educational trip to learn how to teach my fourth and fifth graders about the plants in the desert, I learned about Yuccas. These plants captivated me and I decided to add them at the end of my watercolor collection for Red Rock Canyon. The Ten Tiny Paintings focusing on Red Rock Canyon are now available on my website! In this post, I will be writing about Paintings Number 9 and 10. They are both zoomed in versions of the Yucca plants in the desert. Native Americans used these plants for many things. One use of the plants were the fibers in the leaves. For the last 2 paintings I focused on the white fibers historically used to mend and make clothing for native tribes. Each painting has no pencil sketch prior to the paint application so they are very different. While hiking with my daughter recently I shared this knowledge with her and she felt the texture of the fibers.

Karen Hilliard Art | Blog | Day Hike — AVAILABLE CLICK HERE

Number 9 was painted using blue and brown mixed together to make a dark shadow color resembling black. I left the white fiber hairs very carefully while covering the surface with the darker colors. I started to add olive and brighter green layers to emphasize the leaf sections of the plant. The goal of these two paintings is to show the movement and growth of these wonderful plants. I hope you enjoy this one. Let me know what you see in the painting, I am excited to know!

Red Rock Canyon Series 1 Number 10 | Karen Hilliard Art | Watercolor | Tiny Paintings | 4x6 | Original — AVAILABLE CLICK HERE

Number 10 is the final piece in the series and I used a similar concept from Number 9. I left the fiber strands white and worked around them with brown and black. In this painting I decided to work the green in each leaf simultaneously with the darker colors. This painting has a lot of layers with three different types of green paint. I also used burnt sienna, and yellow ochre for highlights. These colors created the variants I was hoping for to show the difference in the leaves of the plant. Each painting expresses the different lighting that happens while out in the desert depending on time of day. I hope you enjoy this painting. Let me know if you see anything in this one as well!

For more paintings or more information about my newer works, I have links to my Instagram and Facebook pages on the top left of my website. There are painting videos on both so everyone can view them. Thank you for reading and have a Marvelous Monday!

-Karen Hilliard

THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE! MY LITTLE FAMILY AND I APPRECIATE IT 🙂

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.

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Tags New Blog, red rock canyon, watercolor painting

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

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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

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, 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

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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Tags New Blog, red rock canyon, watercolor painting

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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Finding Treasures

Out in the desert among the quiet landscape, we find many treasures. Sticks are one of our favorite things to find. They are sculpted by time and the elements. Wood withstands the various temperatures and climate changes…well, as long as one of them is not fire. Even this being said, we have found many bushes, and tree remnants from lightning strikes that are still standing. The joy of a child and the wonderment of this age is endless. We have a book at home called, “Not a Stick,” by Antoinette Portis that illustrates the imagination of a child with a pig as the main character. Our daughter found this book recently and the imagery is very descriptive of what I see when she walks around the desert with her treasures. I look forward to the day when she can tell me what she sees when she walks around with her treasures. Rocks often find a place in her pocket for the majority of our walks. Sticks, they get carried to their next destination until another interesting one is found. Below is a sketch from our experiences on the trails.

The pure joy in her face when she holds one up to show me is priceless. Yelling, “Mama, stick,” with giggles and then laughter. I look for lines and grooves in her finds and she examines the “holes.” We both smile and share moments in time. Each one of us is seeing the world differently and everything gets quiet. Tiny treasures in tiny hands. A few steps are taken and the stick gets placed down gently, then sediments get picked up and run through her fingers. The giggles continue. Then the wobbly toddler run starts as she finds a new treasure. What do you think it was? Yes, you guessed it…a “stick!” Oh the adventures we go on in my mind. I hope you all get a chance to adventure soon. Until then, have a Marvelous Monday and thank you for reading!

-Karen Hilliard

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Tags New Blog, red rock canyon

Swirls All Around

Swirls in rocks carved by time run around through my mind. Vastly changing with rays of light and clouds above cooling the day. The colors are remarkable out in the desert. The Brick red, Alizarin crimson, Rose, Burnt Umber, and Burnt Sienna flow together creating a glorious palette with various hues. They connect ideas and shift my thoughts into an overload of pure bliss. There is so much to paint out here and my ideas spark a newness for my painting “Breakthrough” I have been working on for so long. As I look at the blue mixing with orange, and yellows with purple, I dream about the day when my new rock piece will be finished. All of this is swirling around in my brain, and at the same time, all I can focus on is her. The reason my painting is still under creation is because the most beautiful piece of art is right in front of me saying “mama, rock!” All while holding her hands outstretched with sandstone in each tiny fist. Home. My heart is home.

Karen Hilliard Art | Blog | Swirls All Around

Swirls of feelings surpass everything and I am bound forever in this journey. What will she see today? How does she interpret the swirls I see? We play with sand, dirt, and climb again. We find “holes” that are as big as my tiny human and look inside them with pure delight. We hike, we talk, we walk around. Enjoyment in the movement of this place we have found…together. We drive home and discuss more of what we saw and I have an idea of turning felt into mountains. I cut shapes in different colors and lay them on a table. I ask her to make what she saw out in nature. She plays and stacks the felt upon each other. So many smiles and different facial expressions are being created. This…a new creation. The painting can wait. This moment, these swirls of time, holding them close forever, all around us.

I hope you all have a wonderful Wednesday and this brought a smile to your beautiful face. Thank you for reading!

-Karen Hilliard

Sandstone of Red Rock Number 3 — AVAILABLE CLICK HERE

Sandstone of Red Rock Number 5 — AVAILABLE CLICK HERE

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Tags New Blog, red rock canyon, watercolor painting

Climb On

Sandstone of Red Rock Canyon Number 1 — SOLD

Backpacking the tiny human into a wonderland of rocks was amazing! Sandstone, limestone, and the variations of each were breathtaking! She loved looking out at her new height of six feet tall and being able to touch plants that are usually too far out of her reach. We went back to the Red Springs Area. I love how every time I am out in the desert it feels like a new experience. I can walk the same trail for example, or even run it, and each time it feels as if I could get lost. The desert changes so magically even in the different times of day, and it moves or flows with an amazing color spectrum. I feel pure joy sharing these moments and this time with our daughter. An entirely new way to gaze upon this world.

She finds holes in the distance and we must walk to them. I set the backpack down and her smile shines so brightly as she knows walking on the ground is about to happen. Her little hands are going to get to touch the “dirt” she kept telling me about in the car ride over. She loves the sand going through her fingers as well. We find sticks to write and doodle in the sediments around our feet. We find bushes and learn which ones are safe to touch compared to ones that are protecting themselves with thorns or needles. Then, in one magnificent moment…we start to climb for the first time outside. Learning how important foot placement is and how to trust our bodies. Growing and changing how we move while our brain is evolving with new information. “Climb” is becoming our new favorite word and is used simultaneously now with “dirt.” Oh the joy and wonder of a child are endless. “Climb on” little one!

Thank you all for reading and I hope you 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, red rock canyon

These Precious Moments

Bountiful rejuvenation happens in the desert after moderate levels of rainfall. The luscious green plants spring up all throughout the land. Some may say, there is nothing as far as the eye can see, but I see everything! The ankle breaking cholla cactus that drops its seeds everywhere are quite interesting. The dog has to learn to avoid such plants. Some plants are friendly to the touch and tickle our palms as we walk by. Our daughter loves reaching out and feeling trees or bushes so I am constantly on the lookout for thorns or unfriendly protective plants while hiking in the desert. This plant was lovely and she really enjoyed the texture. It had yellow and green leaves and was set inside a crevice of sandstone. Plants amaze me how they can grow in cracks. They are so resilient.

Karen Hilliard Art | Blog | These Precious Moments

I have been working on this small sketchbook of our hikes and backpacking trips for her memories. Hopefully, as she ages, she can look back and remember some of our wonderful moments outside. So much happens out there. This sketch is from hiking at Red Springs in Calico Basin. The parking lot is the turn off right before the loop of Red Rock Canyon and it is free to hike Red Springs. A natural spring! There is also sport and trad climbing right near the parking lot. The boulder field is up a ways and past the houses. It is a great out and back day hike and wonderful for children. They get to run around, climb, and explore what looks like another planet. I hope you all get a chance to go and if you need any more information, I linked it here! May your Monday night be magical and thank you for reading!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags New Blog, red rock canyon, watercolor painting

Sands of Time

Letting sediments run through the spaces between my fingers and watching it fall to the ground is truly enjoyable, calming. Listening to the “woah,” and “wow” coming from our child was wonderful. I loved watching the sand change my perspective when I put it in the sunlight versus the shadows our bodies created. She loved watching the “dirt” float in the breeze and move in different directions. We did not travel far, as I stated in Monday’s blog, but it was enjoyable and an overall remarkable experience. Time stood still in moments and slowed down in others. Having a child has been a constant reminder to take time and treasure every second of the day. I have learned that when I speed myself up or try to take on too many tasks, that becoming overwhelmed can happen. Juggling many ideas, jobs, etc. at once used to be easy for me and not even a thought process. I went from task to task with speed yet accomplished so much. Putting my all into everything so it was all done right was very important to me.

Work in progress…

I have recently learned that breathing and slowing down opens up an entirely different world of unknowns. I had no idea that moving at a slower pace would be so lovely. Now I am seeing the world all over again with new eyes. I think I mentioned this before in a previous blog but everyday it happens again and again. Nothing could have prepared me for this new adventure. Sands of time are unique and different for every individual. Over the years I have been fortunate to create a thick book of life for my short existence on this planet. It is filled with chapters and stories of many loved ones and countless adventures. Backpacking with another human on my back is amazing and I can honestly not put into words how it truly feels. I hope to fill all her days with wonder, art, music, exploration, and so much imagination. Where are some places you have traveled to that sparked happiness in your life? I would love to hear about it. Thank you for reading and I hope you all have a wondrous Wednesday!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags New Blog, red rock canyon