Category: 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

Play Time

Traveling from California forests to Nevada deserts was a huge climate change for our little one. Not only were there vast topography changes but also stimulation and shifts due to weather differences. In California we had the cold, wet, damp, and dewy mornings combined with rain. This led to luscious forest growth and green all around us under the redwoods. In the desert we shared moments of sand running through our fingers and staying in the crevices of the lines in our hands. Both climates were cool, however, California had a bit more of a chill due to the coastal midst. Hiking in the desert is also magical how quickly the temperature can drop once the sun sets behind the mountains. Both states shared a winter chill that our daughter and I enjoyed. We both love wearing hats so it was nice to be able to share fun memories with our knitted wear.

Today we hiked the beautiful Red Rock Canyon here in Nevada. This place used to feel like our backyard as we were a bit closer and now it is a journey. Luckily, it makes the hiking there all the more wondrous and enjoyable. Sharing these moments with a toddler is a completely different experience than how my husband and I used to run 4 to 6 miles in a short amount of time. Now, the time is still the same, yet the distance may not even equate to a mile. Immediately out of the backpack, her hands glide into the sediments below her feet and around her being. The smile on her face illuminates everything and everyone on the trail. I love how when people see a baby they immediately smile and wave, or say hello. At least, out in nature this has been a welcoming experience. While greeting every human and dog on the trail, we were also fascinated by animal poop, wild plants, and above everything…rocks. More will be shared this week in future blogs so stay tuned and stay safe out there! Thank you for reading and I hope you all had a marvelous Monday.

-Karen Hilliard

Tags New Blog, red rock canyon, watercolor painting

Day Hike

Hiking today under the vibrant sun was a bit of a challenge. I chose a pretty steep start and it was the first hike with another person on my back. Totally worth it to hear my daughter’s laughter and see her face filled with pure joy. The heat was bearing down upon us so I made sure to not stay out too long and had us both drinking water out of our Camelback the entire time. I highly recommend the Deuter Kid Comfort Child Carrier if you are a mom with a longer torso. We bought ours through REI and I linked them above. This pack is amazing and easy to get on and off. I also was very pleased by the sunshade as it covered her face, eyes mainly, for both directions. She was also underneath my wide brimmed hat which helped a lot. The backpack was great and she did not overheat which was a concern here in the desert. A great time was had by both of us and I was able to get inspiration from the trail for the new sandstone piece I am working on.

I was fascinated by the yucca plants illuminating bright green hues against the red sandstone background. They reminded me of my paintings I did for my Red Rock Canyon Tiny Painting Series. Here are the paintings and if you click on each photo it will take you directly to the painting on my website. I was also reminded of the pine cones created a few years ago and how excited I am for this upcoming fall season. Now that I have this backpack, I am super pleased to be able to hike anywhere, but we do have to wait for the weather to cool down. Once this happens, my blogs will be filled with lovely pictures of the amazing scenery and hopefully a few awesome sketches of the day. Until then, please enjoy these photos and paintings. Have a wonderful weekend and stay safe out there. Water is amazing!! Thank you for reading.

-Karen Hilliard

Tags New Blog, red rock canyon, watercolor painting

“Interconnection” Blog

I have always been fascinated with recognizable patterns seen within tree stumps and the human fingerprint as well as photographs of our bronchial tubes compared alongside tree branches. Trees are the lungs of the world and provide us all with oxygen through photosynthesis while breaking down the carbon dioxide we breathe out. Our fingerprints identify us as individuals while tree rings show the age of the tree, and both can give a glimpse of our history. Keeping these ideas in mind while painting this piece, the title came to me due to the fact that Earth’s organisms are all connected in some beautiful way. “Interconnection,” is my new Original Watercolor painted on Arches Cold Pressed paper. The size of this painting is 9” x 12” painted edge to edge.

Interconnection • Watercolor Small Works • Karen Hilliard Art

For this piece I focused on the contrasts in the fallen tree we found and sketched it on location outside Red Rock State Park. The trees on this trail are large and beautiful. There are many Oak, Joshua, and Pinyon Pines throughout the various paths carved out by the elements and time. We love to hike these trails for the sand at our feet and it is exciting to watch the dog frolick among the foliage. Yet, we are always mindful of wildlife and watch our dog very closely around cholla cactus so he does not have any accidents. The trail we chose on that day was winding in the most beautiful ways and then we stumbled across the fallen trunk near a wash. I found the colors to be breathtaking!

“Interconnection” is NOW AVAILABLE!! There is only one! You can click here to be directed to the painting on my website, click the title, or the painting. I hope this artwork brings many years of wonder and conversation into your home! Thank you for reading this blog and have a Wonderful Wednesday.

-Karen Hilliard

Tags New Blog, red rock canyon, watercolor painting

Distractions

Mental distractions could be crippling at times especially when time is limited. Referring to my last blog about finding balance in the time allotted as well as taking mental breaks to keep creation alive, there is also the presence of interrupted time. When this takes place during day to day scenarios it is often difficult to push through these blocks in order to finish a project. Sometimes I crave a movie or television series to spark my creative aspirations and help me to relax my mind. Unfortunately, this also allows me to sit far longer than I would hope for at times, and can cause an interruption of my flow instead of motivating me. So, in order to help prevent distractions from happening, setting a timer may be an idea I should try.

Here is the link for my limited edition print, “Autumn is Here.”

Luckily, meeting deadlines is not an issue but losing sleep is. I wonder what other ideas I can try to stay focused when the mind wanders. Having several sketchbooks filled with ideas and writings is also a joy, yet I can get lost in those various thoughts for weeks. This is an example of something I could not set a timer for. Inspiration, in any form, cannot be boxed into a segment of time. The best realization is to leave the television off and possibly do some yoga to recenter my thoughts. There are however, many, many great movies that inspire my creations. Another distraction is books yet I will leave this for another time. Please let me know what distracts you and how you deal with it. You can contact me via my website. Have a wonderful Wednesday and thank you for reading!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags New Blog, red rock canyon

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.

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

Ah Spring…

Spring is a beautiful time of year. The pollinators are hard at work on flowers to get a taste of their nectar. Here in the desert the bees work tirelessly on pollinating the cactus flowers on beaver tails and this leaves behind new opportunities for cactus pears. These are delicious morsels and very colorful to behold. In our garden right outside our kitchen door, we have lovely sunflowers that chase the rays of the sun all day. The bees also pollinate these and the flower goes to seed for the many birds who frequent our backyard. The desert tortoises are also out eating anything they can find and loving the water in the cactus. This is what goes on in our tiny spot on the planet, what blooms where you live?

Valley of Fire Flowers Series 1 #9 • Tiny Painting • Karen Hilliard Art

Valley Of Fire Series Greetings Cards • Watercolor Painting • Karen Hilliard Art

In other parts of the country roses, wildflowers, and tulips abound. Color is booming and blooming everywhere. Yellow tulips are one of my favorite flowers and I have yet to paint them. I have longed to get a bouquet of them with a variety of colors. Fields of tulips in another country would be an ideal painting situation for me, or a vast area of lavender fields. Where is somewhere you would love to travel to for the pure experience of flowers? I think France would be an ideal place for lavender and Japan for the cherry blossoms on trees. While in Tuscany I had the pleasure of traveling by train and viewing fields of sunflowers. They were everywhere and I was eternally happy. This was in the summertime and may be put in my next blog on Friday. Roses are one of my husband’s favorite flowers. What are some of yours?

Sunflower Series 2 Number 1 | Karen Hilliard Art | Watercolor | Tiny Paintings

Mine would be sunflowers and tulips. Another friend from Barcelona mentioned the exact flowers that bring me joy are the ones that bring them happiness. I wonder how a painting of tulips and sunflowers would look and what I would place as a filler? Do you have any thoughts on this? For now, desert bound, I paint my surroundings. Luckily, I am inspired anywhere I go and wherever my eyes gaze. The pure enjoyment of being an artist and feeling motivation from all of nature is my deepest passion. I feel truly blessed. So, in conclusion, Spring brings so many wonderful feelings to the surface. The color and fragrance alone are amazing and the season also brings new hope with possibilities. Have a happy Wednesday, and thank you for reading!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags bees, spring, sunflowers, watercolor painting

Blog 100

Wow, this is my 100th blog. I just want to take a moment to thank all of you for reading these and tell you it means a lot to me. I have received text messages, private messages, emails, and comments on the actual blogs. It is amazing to meet with you all here on my little spot online. For those of you following from the beginning, thank you so much! For those of you recently reading, I am overjoyed to write for you Monday, Wednesday, and Friday every week. Here you will find posts about my artwork, hiking/climbing adventures, camping trips, and so on. This blog is meant to inspire everyone to go for their dreams and believe in the possibilities of life. My artwork will hopefully create new perspectives of the outside world and encourage others to see the world a little differently.

Fall in Red Rock | Original Watercolor | Karen Hilliard Art | Tiny Painting | Starting Bid | Auction

Fall in Red Rock Canyon | Tiny Painting | Karen Hilliard Art | Small Works | 4x6

The newest series in my portfolio has been ink and watercolor Tiny Paintings. These are 4” x 6” paintings created on Mixed Media paper. They can fit into a 5×7 inch frame with a mat opening for a 4×6 inch image. Please mat the artwork before framing so the watercolor does not stick to the glass. This is for those of you who would like to purchase my artwork. The direct link to the Tiny Paintings is here…click here! “Fall in Red Rock” is the newest series and the focus is on contrast of colors. I am using a lot of different variants of warm orange and cool blue hues. I hope you like these pieces. Numbers one, two, and three have sold. Number three was very exciting to create. The intricate details were created with ink and then watercolor was applied after for shadows and texture.

Each leaf was painted individually and the wash work was done with great intention. I chose a few spots to do a watercolor wash in and then ended up layering over it several times. Basically, the whole entire piece is very detailed. The top right corner is a little bit more loose to give the viewer a little bit of play with their imagination. I like how this painting was of a tree and ended up looking like the desert floor with leaves scattered around twigs, or a root system. This was a truly enjoyable piece to paint and I hope you look forward to the rest of this series. Numbers 4, 5, and 6 are now up on the website for your enjoyment. They can be found in the Small Works link or on my Home Page under Small Works. Thank you for reading 100 blogs and I am happy to continue writing more for all of you. Have a great weekend and stay safe!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags 100th Blog, red rock canyon, tiny paintings, watercolor painting