Category: Redwood Trees

Art Inspiration to Art Show

Karen Hilliard Art | Blog | Art Inspiration to Art Show

Walking among the redwoods in California last winter was one of the best experiences of my life. I often travel to this state and the redwoods are a must on any adventure in Northern California. Beneath the canopy, I felt the cool air brush my cheek and the midst fill my lungs. I began to close my eyes and breathe just taking it all in. Home. That is where I was. Home. The body of work inspired by this trip is so dear to me. In every brush stroke I can feel the pine needles and smell the forest. The way the decaying needles are becoming compost for the rising trees above and their seedlings below. Home. That is where these trees and ferns reside. Grove of Old Trees is a park protected by Sonoma County land conservancy near the town of Occidental. Protection. Idea. Spark! Pondering… walking with my sketchbook and pen further into the grove where I come across the stump. There it is, holding strong with old and new life intertwined. “Resolute Protector,” my painting.

Resolute Protector | Karen Hilliard Art | Original Watercolor | Redwoods | Watercolor Painting

I did not know at the time what the title would be, however, looking back at my thought process there it was, all along. From the start I wanted to name this painting “Aquatic” since it looked like it may have been forming into an octopus. Then, towards the end, I remembered the journey and the thoughts while walking in the forest. How the trees were protected by the people and also how they protected themselves. This word had to make its way into my title somehow and it did. I finished this painting in March and could have entered it in many shows yet I was very hesitant to share it publicly. Gathering up the courage, I decided to enter it into the Fall show for the Nevada Watercolor Society where I am a Signature Member. Still, this being said, I was nervous about my style. I went for it and “Resolute Protector” made its debut on September 5th of this year 2024 and will be up until November 23rd. Pleased would be a word used as an understatement of how I feel about this painting hanging in the show. Honored is more fitting.

If you would like more information about the show, please contact me. Until then, thank you for reading and have a terrific Tuesday!

-Karen Hilliard

Fall Watercolor Show

I have posted a blog about this painting before and now it has been accepted into the Nevada Watercolor Society Fall Show! I feel truly blessed to have had this painting be chosen to hang alongside wonderful works of art by various artists nationwide. The show will run for two months and ”Resolute Protector” will be on display for the duration. Below is my previous blog explaining the creation of this painting and how much it means to me.

Resolute Protector | Karen Hilliard Art | Original Watercolor | Redwoods | Watercolor Painting
Click Here for the Original Watercolor!

Somewhere in the midst off the California coast, a beautiful tree stump sits covered in moss. I became fascinated with this subject while walking around the woods with my family. After many photographs were taken, I came home and started to see different images in the textures of the tree. This title, along with others, popped into my mind as I painted this watercolor. The vision of a forest protector came to me. One in which is resolute in their purpose to protect the trees. Sitting socially among their friends, quiet, unseen almost, and ready to rumble at the first sign of trouble. This painting is a reminder that we are all connected. It is so lovely when I see photographs of human fingerprints and tree rings side by side. Also, branches and our bronchial patterns inside our lungs. Every time I venture into the forest I feel as if I am entering a different world, yet am reminded we are all of this Earth.

“Resolute Protector” holds many emotions for me and I tried to express them in every detail of this piece. I love the subject and how tree sheddings were collected, then protected by the mighty stump. The beautiful moss surrounding the pine needles gave the dried out old needles a feeling of rebirth into something new. Decomposition at its finest! I also found a lovely little nut or seed, and it turned into an eye of the protector. What do you see when you stare into this painting? Could you look at it forever and still be amazed?

Thank you for reading and have a wonderful weekend!

-Karen Hilliard

Blotting

Always Carry a Paper Towel

One of the lines from Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy that my husband and I love is “Always Carry a Towel.” We discuss this at length to the point where he actually packs a towel for any of our adventures because we never know when we will need one. It actually comes in handy with the dog and any water source quite often! Speaking of water and needing a quick way to clean things up; I usually use a paper towel when blotting watercolor paint. I use a regular reusable rag when working with acrylics. The fine details and intricate lines I create with watercolor require a gentle hand with the aid of a small surface area especially with my 4″ x 6″ Originals. Paper towels are easy to fold into tiny spaces in order to collect excess water or fix runaway paint.

Canopies of California Number 1 | Karen Hilliard Art | Tiny Paintings
Canopies of California Number 2 | Karen Hilliard Art | Tiny Paintings
Click here for Tiny Paintings

The joy of watercolor is to let the paint flow and interact with each color differently. In my large pieces I do need some control to keep my fine lines from trickling into nothingness. So I suggest always carrying a paper towel and yes, I reuse them. One paper towel will last me about 2 to 3 months if my dog does not get a hold of it and chew it up. I have to hide these beauties as if they were buried treasure he cannot sniff out. Keeping these paper towels safe for multiple months can be a challenge but I love reusing them so it is necessary. Blotting is super important in my technique so the paper does not buckle. I work in a wet on dry technique and control the minute wet on wet interactions specifically. Some of my recent work was wet on wet with a wet on dry technique to complete it and it was very enjoyable. The Daisy Way series was fascinating and fun to create. I used a paper towel with both styles and prefer the wet on dry for my larger works.

Daisy Way Spring | Karen Hilliard Art | Watercolor
Dolphin Smiles | Original | Karen Hilliard Art | Watercolor
Click Here For: Original Daisy Paintings Link or Dolphin Smiles Print Link

The wet on dry allows me to work for several hours, days, months on a piece. I can let it sit, focus on the lines, and challenge myself with determination to finish these. Each large painting takes many layers and many hours of work. Dolphin Smiles was painted using a wet on dry technique. My gallery focuses on the natural world and includes portraits interacting with nature. Recently I have been working in my sketchbook and posting videos on social media platforms. Each video, if you focus, you can see me use a paper towel to blot a section of the painting. These timelapse videos move quicker than I could ever paint in real life so you have to watch very closely to see a paper towel on one of these “reels.” Please drop a comment on what you use to blot your surface area, excess water problems, etc. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment and I will respond in 24-48 hours Monday-Friday. You can also send me a private message at khilliardart.com/contact

Thank you for reading and have a wonderful Wednesday!

-Karen Hilliard