Category: Tiny Paintings

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

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.

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!

Karen Hilliard Art | Blog | Support for the Artist | Art Support — CLICK HERE AND THANK YOU!!
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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

Valley of Fire Wild Flowers

The palette of colors in the desert is every artist’s dream. The yellow flowers are joined by their complimentary color, purple. The blue primary color can be found throughout the rocks and is matched by it’s companion orange in every piece of sandstone. The red stone of the earth is complemented by the luscious green plants and cacti growing next to it. The first series I created for my Tiny Paintings were the flowers of this park. I wanted to express the beauty I saw surrounding me in a series of small paintings. I love receiving flowers, yet they do not last, so I wanted to represent the love of flowers as something that could hang on a person’s wall forever.

Valley of Fire Series 2 - #10|Karen Hilliard Art|Watercolor|4x6 — AVAILABLE CLICK HERE

The first painting shown below was of the cactus flowers including the plant. I am fascinated by the contrast in colors and how the light and dark dance together. The second and third pieces were close up representations of one cactus flower to show the pollen and life inside the petals. I further wanted to add another species that is prominent in the desert during the spring. Desert Marigolds are the sunshine of the desert. Clumps of yellow set along sandstone paths to brighten up anyone’s day.

Valley of Fire Flowers Series 1 #6 • Tiny Painting • Karen Hilliard Art — SOLD

Valley of Fire Flowers Series 1 #2 • Tiny Painting • Karen Hilliard Art — SOLD

Number 8 was a beautiful white flower with paper thin petals and dark green leaves. The center of the flower had a glorious pollen stem shooting up to the sky. I ended the series with two more cactus flowers because I love the purple and pink in the petals. These colors burst out against the green cactus paddles and intrigues the eyes of anyone looking upon them.

Valley of Fire Flowers Series 1 #8 • Tiny Painting • Karen Hilliard Art — SOLD

As I made this series, I sold eight of the paintings soon after. Knowing that each piece of artwork was bringing a person joy gave me such happiness. I also took 5 of the images and made a greeting card set so people could send each other flowers that would last. I picture these paintings on the customer’s walls, cards up in their homes, and feel like they bring a smile to the person’s face. Sharing my paintings with the world is the best gift I can receive. I am very thankful for everyone’s support and hope these works of art bring you all joy. Thank you for reading and have a Wonderful Wednesday!

-Karen Hilliard

A Couple of Sketches Before the Paintings Were Created.

SPRING GREETING CARDS PICTURED ABOVE 5″ x 7″ CLICK HERE

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Tags New Blog, watercolor painting

Valley of Fire, The Fire Wave Trail

One of the most colorful places we have visited in Nevada is Valley of Fire State Park. My little family and I frequent this magical place filled with sandstone creations. Each hike has a different pigment of the stone and variations in the sand. A trail we particularly loved to run on was the Fire wave trail. We first came across this path while hiking. My husband sat to relax and I painted. Later, we both grew to love it for our run. It has a nice balance of flat terrain and hills to push ourselves. I am glad we always took the time to stop and appreciate such a beautiful place! This is on our list of places to explore again with our daughter.

Valley of Fire, Fire Wave — AVAILABLE CLICK HERE

The trail is quiet and peaceful in the early hours when the sun is just starting to rise. The flowers bloom alongside the sandy path. Our dog loved to stop and smell the flowers when they were first starting to wake up. We were all intrigued by the cactus flowers. My husband liked to try and figure out if the desert tortoises had eaten any of the paddles and I liked photographing them for future paintings.

The trail came to a downhill slide into a wash. The wash was filled with sand and stone where we could spend hours exploring. The erosion and lines in the rock are captivating. The run was very tranquil and afterwards we hiked for a while so we could take photos of what we really enjoyed. I was thankful that I was able to go home and paint our memories and then share them with everyone. Recently, I have really been excited about painting the many different species of flowers in the desert. The Fire Wave trail was filled with so much beauty and it was hard to see it all in one trip. The desert is ever changing with wind, sands of time, and glorious rain storms. We see something new each time we visit the park. We are grateful that we live so close to this wonderful place.

Valley of Fire Series 2 Number 3 — AVAILABLE CLICK HERE

Valley of Fire Series 2 Number 2 — AVAILABLE CLICK HERE

The hike can get really hot in the summertime so be careful and always remember to bring a water bottle! I hope you enjoy this post and are able to find an amazing hike where you live that you truly love. Please contact me with any suggestions, or leave them in the comments for everyone! Have a Marvelous Monday 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 New Blog, watercolor painting

Snow Days

While writing this blog in my mind for the last week and not knowing where to begin, I found a lovely song on Instagram available for reels. As I looked over my videos to inspire this post and decided on tapping into certain moments of the hike…the song choice flowed with our daughter walking around in the snow. The band is Inland Sky and the song is linked here, “Little Hands.” Have a listen if you will. This song is heartfelt and sums up not only the hiking expeditions or her joy, but motherhood along with hopes and dreams for all children. I immediately thought of her tiny hands finally touching snow and building her snowman, person, woman, yet she calls it “snow..ma.” I can close my eyes and remember the smells from the trail and how different the butterscotch of the ponderosa pines drifts up my nostrils compared to the heat of summer. Not as strong of a scent. All three of us pressed our noses up to the trees to see if one was stronger than the last. They all pretty much smelled mild.

Hearing the snow crunch beneath our feet was another sensation and it was interesting to feel myself sink further into the snow due to the tiny human on my back. She could not wait to get out of the backpack this time. Adventuring is about to change and a transition is coming for sure. As she grows, so do we as parents, and our trekking takes interesting turns. The dog was running around in certain sections where there were no travelers around and he had the time of his life. My husband and I both looked at each other and said, “well, he will sleep for about three days after this!” Um…nope, it was about a day and a half. This is the deal anyone signs up for if they get a herding dog. He is high energy and keeps us on our toes at all times…perfect for a toddler running around. I posted two videos on social media. One video of our dog running up the mountain chasing snowballs and the other of our daughter carefully navigating her movements around rocks through the snow. This week’s blogs will be all about this family excursion. Thank you for reading and I hope you had a Marvelous Monday!

-Karen Hilliard

We hiked Fletcher Canyon again. Although a completely different time of year, it reminded me of hiking with our daughter when I created the tiny paintings below.

Karen Hilliard Art Blog | Fletcher Trail | Mt. Charleston — AVAILABLE CLICK HERE

Also, if you would like another way to show support, I have a few options. “Buy me a

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

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

Forest Love

Canopies of California Number 3 | Karen Hilliard Art | Tiny Paintings — AVAILABLE CLICK HERE

Canopies of California Number 2 | Karen Hilliard Art | Tiny Paintings — AVAILABLE CLICK HERE

Back at the root of my inspiration and depths of my creative awakening in the heart of California, I walk into the forest and take a deep breath. The fog rolls in all around me and I look down at my feet to see the small seedlings bending with dew drops. The heaviness of the weather may weigh these small plants down, however, one day they will be mighty and taller than myself. The smell of fresh rain travels through my nostrils and my eyes light up with the cool morning temperatures. All of my senses are awakened in the forest. Traveling around with my little family this December has been wonderful as always. The roots beneath our feet remind me of my own family tree and the memories we made on this trip. The baby lasted a wee bit in the backpack and then chose to run around splashing in puddles. So much fun was had in this forest.

If you ever get a chance to visit the Grove of Old Trees in Occidental California, I highly recommend it. Also, the town has lovely artisan shops to peruse. Make sure to dress warm and bring a rain jacket as well as boots to be safe. Totally worth the trip! We were in the hunt for a new coffee mug and found a wonderful piece by a local artist. This mug took half an hour to choose and I went with the one that reminded me of the splashing puddles. Overall that was a huge memory. The dog drinking from every puddle and stream was also joyous. Every rain drop that fell on my husband’s shoulder and coated his sweatshirt with patterns were also fun to watch. Looking up at the canopy above reminded me to slow down and enjoy all the tiny moments. Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for reading!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags New Blog

“Juliet’s Fall”

Here they are! The new Tiny Painting Series, “Juliet’s Fall.” I wrote about these little color wonders in my previous blogs “Fall Season,” and in “Chestnuts” I gave a glimpse of one of the other paintings with Fall foliage. The colors of this series brought such joy to my studio and warmth to my home. I wrote in my Newsletter about how I envisioned knitting sweaters, hand warmers, and scarves while possibly sipping tea or coffee. Going from the “Pumpkins 2024 Series” to “Juliet’s Fall” was a wonderful transition from October to November for me. These new paintings focusing mainly on leaves and season changes reminded me of our last days at the Pumpkin Patch at Gilcrease Orchard. Watching the vines and leaves descend due to people choosing their pumpkins and also because of heat exhaustion, was an interesting change to experience from the year before. The pumpkin Patch was much cooler last year than this one and we could really see the difference in pumpkins this year from the year prior. They have been ripening sooner than expected and many meals have been made already! The Pumpkin paintings have filled my home with new colors thank the year before and inspired those deep orange hues for the new Fall pieces as well.

I released the paintings in my Newsletter as well along with the New larger painting I have been working on, still a work in progress. You can find out more about that painting by signing up for my Newsletter…just an email from me to you every month with new artwork, and a friendly hello! In this blog, I am diving a bit deeper into the inspiration for these smaller works. Juliet, the photographer, is a wonderful person who fills the world with color and light. She is also an amazing mother with fantastic children who bring light to this world as well. Juliet is honest, hard working, brilliant, and has a warm glow about her. She can talk with anyone and treats everyone with respect. I wanted to honor her personality in these Tiny Paintings. It was a challenge to create smaller bits and pieces of this beautiful lady’s persona and hopefully you can feel her light shining through to all of you. I will be adding more paintings to this series, and they will all look different than the ones posted. Wishing you all a Fabulous Friday and thank you for reading!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags New Blog, watercolor painting

Trials and Tribulations

I have been through many trials and tribulations throughout my life and I am a huge fan of the trials. Focusing on the trying aspect of many ventures has helped me through any type of discomfort. If I am writing about art, since this is an art post, I would focus on the many attempts for each painting, drawing, sketch, etc. There is such a joy in the build up of what an art project will eventually turn into. Most of the time, I love to just start with a dot or a line and see where it will take me. There are many mess ups, mistakes, or as Bob Ross put it, “Happy Little Accidents.” Life boils down to how we look at things and what perspective we are seeing each moment with. The movie, “The Choice,” adapted from the book by Nicholas Sparks, explains this in a lovely way. Life comes down to choices. The mom in Bridgerton spoke to her daughter about love being a choice, which I find to be a wonderful description of life and love. We choose how we perceive everything that comes our way. How long to give it space in our thoughts, bodies, etc. A hard concept to wrap the mind around most of the time, but an amazing concept of confidence non the less. Sometimes working through things daily, hourly, minute by minute, can become a necessity. So…back to how this relates to art.

Karen Hilliard Art | Redwoods - Lighting the Way | Watercolor and Ink — **SOLD**

My mind can get caught up in details and lost in them at the same time. In the past, if something did not look just right, it weighed on my thought process. Now, I don’t really have the time for this circle or merry-go-round so to speak. With such a limited amount of time, I have to focus on what I want to accomplish minute by minute. The most important part of my day is now a tiny human and I do not have the luxury of getting lost in certain mindsets. I am grateful everyday for the new perspective of “slow down, enjoy it!” Each painting has now become more free and has a bit of air to them. Now, I let the paint tell me where it wants to go…even on a portrait which could be quite scary or nerve-wracking. A whole new thought process of choice. Choosing to let go and find comfort in the uncomfortable. I love my tight style of detail oriented pieces as well as my more recent loose ink and watercolor paintings I have been creating. They are still highly detailed as well, just a bit more play with water. Smaller works are more suitable for the time I have allotted presently. While I long to work on larger pieces, I am grateful for any moment at my art table. I had no idea where I was going with this post when I started to write. Trying to keep up with the consistency of my blog and social media is a whole different story for another time. As for now, I enjoy the trials of everyday life and look forward to lessons I can learn. Thank you for reading and have a wonderful Wednesday!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags New Blog, watercolor painting