Heart of the Forest

Residing in Occidental, California there is a grove of old trees. They stand proud and tall, protecting one another from the elements. All the while, they are being protected by stewards of this Earth, humans. Thank you to the people who care for this special place and allow the public access to it. My family and I travel there annually in the month of December when the cool breeze blows. The coastal air is usually cool in this grove, however, the winter months make it extra special. We were fortunate enough to have a bit of sprinkles and splash in puddles. Constantly we kept watch on the tree limbs as rain did loosen some, so be careful. We also watched out for poison oak because there are some growing along the trail edges. This is mentioned at the start of the loop in case you need more information. All of the safety measures aside, we walk around with pure wonder every time we are fortunate enough to venture there. Below is my new painting, “Heart of the Forest,” and yes, you can stand under the actual tree canopy where the heart is formed. This is a truly remarkable experience.

The original painting is in Watercolor on Cold Pressed Paper. It is painted edge to edge on a sheet measuring 15” x 20” and is one of my brightest yet. I absolutely love this piece and decided to make prints as well. Here is the description for the moment in time when this painting was created in my mind…

My sister in law took us to a place. This place stood in a moment in time. Tall, full, and welcoming. The winds were cool and the skies opened up with rain. The midst rolled in around us like a blanket of dewdrops caressing our fingertips. We splashed in puddles and ran around through undergrowth. Then, in a magical moment, we looked up and saw the heart of the forest.

Heart of the Forest • Watercolor Painting Print • Karen Hilliard Art • Love • Heart Shape • Redwoods
AVAILABLE CLICK HERE!

If any of you are interested in the Original, here is the LINK. If you would like a print, here is the LINK. Thank you all for reading and if you have the chance, I hope you can go see this remarkable heart shape while looking up to the sky above. Have a Wonderful Wednesday!

-Karen Hilliard

Signature Show 2025

The Nevada Watercolor Society Signature Show of 2025 was beautifully put together. There are so many gorgeous paintings hanging at the Wetlands Gallery in Las Vegas, Nevada. I feel so grateful to be part of such an uplifting society. The women and men who are members have welcomed me with open arms, interest, and compassion. Tonight, I went to the show to view beautiful paintings by people who are becoming friends and others who I am still meeting. Every time I enter and get accepted into one of their events, I feel amazed at the receptions. The atmosphere is always filled with light, love, and encouragement. A true art community. As I walked around with my daughter and husband, our little one skipped up to my painting and pointed, “mama, painting!” She turned with the biggest smile on her face because she recognized it from the hallway where it hung in our home. She also helped hand deliver it to be hung in the show. She was welcomed with smiles from all the adults around and everyone enjoyed her warm spirit.

I was grateful that this art event was held at a venue where our daughter could run around and explore while the show was happening. The Wetlands have a wonderful center for kids with many activities they can focus on involving the animals that reside there. So much information was at her fingertips and she especially loved the sculptures of certain birds, frogs, snakes, and insects. My husband and dear friend were able to entertain her while I talked with some lovely people. I was also able to run around with our daughter during the event which I will always remember. Crawling around in tunnels with her was my favorite. Thankful again to our sweet friend for wonderful candid photographs playing with our daughter!! They will be forever cherished.

Karen Hilliard Art | Blog | Signature Show 2025

The Nevada Watercolor Society and The Wetlands Staff put on a lovely show as well as snacks during the event. It was just a wonderful experience all around. At two o’clock they announced the prize winners and I was honored to have my painting, “The Joy of Autumn” chosen for the award of Honorable Mention. There are so many colorful and interesting paintings in the show. I was truly blown away to receive an award. I am very thankful to the judge and the NVWS for this honor. If anyone would like to see the show, it is up until April 24th. Please go and see it! A very kid friendly place as well! I hope you have a Marvelous Monday and get a chance to see the show! Also, if anyone is interested in “Resolute Protector,” or “The Joy of Autumn,” they will both be available April 25th for purchase. Please Contact Me Here if you are interested!

Thank you all for reading and for your support.

-Karen Hilliard

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.

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

These Trees Are Tall!

So many smells surround me and the sounds of this forest are unique. It is wet and damp here in certain places. The ground beneath my paws is soft and mud is bouncing back up on my stomach. My muscles feel rejuvenated and strong. The air in my lungs is crisp and fresh, unlike the dust of the desert I call home. The trees…the glorious trees…where do I begin to leave my mark? Everyone needs to know I was here. My humans are keeping me close on this infernal leash, yet I know it is for my safety, as well as there’s. Apparently there is a plant here called poison oak and even if I get the oil in my fur, they can catch it by petting me. It is okay, the hold on me is loose so I still feel grateful to explore. There are so many puddles to drink water from and the rain feels nice on my fur.

My eyes are always watching this baby by my side and my ears are perked up to hear for miles in order to keep her safe. She sure does love to splash in puddles. The tiny human gives me treats, throws my ball…not far…but she throws it and gets excited, so I must keep her near me at all times. The joy of this creature is interesting and I find that my heart feels warm when she is around. The forest is welcoming and the whole family seems to really enjoy it. I wonder if they are going to leave their mark? My mom is taking pictures, so many pictures. She is an artist and wants to paint…EVERYTHING! I am writing this blog to tell you all that she painted some of these trees and we are all super excited. She is releasing them tomorrow with prints as well. She is offering a 10% OFF COUPON in her Newsletter, so make sure to sign up for that. I think she did a great job with the mood, since that is what I can see clearly in her work. I hope you all get a chance to get outside with people you love this weekend. I am looking forward to my humans taking me somewhere awesome! Thank you for reading!!

-Spector 

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.

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

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

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

“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

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.

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

Chestnuts

The title, “Chestnut Grove,” makes me think about a grove of chestnut trees in the middle of a beautiful field, sparkling and colorful in the fall. The leaves are moving in the wind and changing color, yellow with hints of brown creating a glitter of natural wonders. Along with chestnut trees, another that pops into my mind is a field of maple trees, oak trees, and birch, all changing color and losing their leaves this fall. Chestnut Grove Tea reminds me of being back in Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Michigan, and seeing the beautiful trees along the roadside as we drive, changing colors along the Fall Color Map. These beautiful states attract visitors from miles away just to drive the picturesque trails through valleys of color. As I sit here in Nevada, sipping this marvelous black tea, I am dreaming about Wisconsin. My new Tiny Painting Series is titled, “Juliet’s Fall,” and it will be released on my website this Friday! These paintings are a series of colorful wonders representative of the photographs taken by our cousin, Juliet. She loves the season of Fall and sent me lovely foliage photos as painting references. When I think about this time of year and the chill forming in the air, I quietly sip my tea and appreciate the changing of the season.

Chestnut Grove,” black tea can be found at Sheffield Spice and Tea Company here in Henderson, Nevada. It is an adorable little shop filled with smells to awaken the senses any time one sets foot inside the doors. I chose a black tea of medium caffeine levels for this week’s blog and am combining it with my Monday blog about my new paintings. This glorious tea has kept me awake and the fires of inspiration have been burning as I smell the lovely chestnut aroma sifting through my studio. This tea contains ingredients such as Ceylon Black Tea with Natural Chestnut Flavor. The Antioxidant level is High and the description says to enjoy it in front of an open fire. Their words make me think about Frank Sinatra and my Grandfather singing, “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…” as he would roast chestnuts for us in his kitchen. This tea brings me back to fond memories of my loving grandpa once again and I am so happy to have these pictures in my mind, ears, and heart as I paint some fall foliage. I hope this blog entices your senses and I linked the tea if you are not local and would like to purchase it from their website. My paintings will be available soon and if you would like them sooner, please contact me here! Thank you for reading and have a Marvelous Monday. 

-Karen Hilliard