Category: 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

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

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 Part Two

So, hiking up the mountain pass to get to the trail was no easy feat. I realized about 100 feet in that I was on an incline. Prior to backpacking another human, I had no recollection that it was that intense. We parked pretty far away from the entrance to Fletcher Trail. I am laughing right now because I thought we parked a lot closer and was super happy with our spot. While walking I got in my head and counted my breaths to keep my mind steady. Luckily, there were children sledding to the left of us right off the road so it was a joyous walk. I imagined our daughter doing the same and it brought a smile to my face. Her and I pointed out people and animals we saw all the while my husband and dog were behind us. Eventually, I asked him to go ahead and I took my time. He definitely walked at a slow pace and stayed with us the whole time. Our dog tends to pull on the leash as if he is a sled dog in Alaska so I figured if he was the “lead dog” he may not pull as hard to get in the front. He ended up relaxing and it was a nice, slow, meandering hike to the trailhead.

Sled Dog — **ORIGINAL WATERCOLOR…AVAILABLE…CLICK HERE!**

Once we arrived there was some slippery packed down snow almost in the form of ice. We navigated around it nicely and then it got a lot more slushy in the sun spots. It was not until we trekked a little higher up the trail that the snow started to be crunchy and deep. We were so thankful and excited it turned into an awesome hike that the dog, and toddler, got to experience a wonderful winter wonderland. I mentioned in the previous blog about her building a “snow..ma” and walking around carefully through the snow. Watching her hunt for sticks for the arms, hair, and nose was also a precious moment. Our dog needed to be entertained with flying snowballs so he would leave her alone and not try to eat her sticks. My husband threw the snow one way and the dog went the other. He eventually paid attention and ran in the right direction but it was hilarious to watch. I think he was just overstimulated by all the amazing smells and sights. Were any of you able to go to the snow this year? Leave a comment below if you want to share! Thank you for reading and have a marvelous Monday…night!

-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 Fairbanks, 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

“Connected by Love”

The Second Painting I created to show the heart shape of the canopy was also painted to express connection. I show this with the special feature of puzzle pieces located in the bottom left corner. My brother and his wife had their first date while putting a puzzle together. They laughed and talked over building something new for both of them. In those tiny moments…the subtle glances of looking up at one another…the sweet smiles of something young and fresh…they began. While working on this painting, I thought about their deep love for one another and their family. My mind drifted to memories of walking through the Redwood Forests with them and their children. They have taken us to the Redwoods everytime we visit. We have frequently seen Armstrong Woods and Grove of the Old Tress. This painting is a celebration of love and I wanted it to be personalized for anyone who would like their names written in the pieces. A forever reminder that we are all one piece of someone’s puzzle of life and love! I used their names as an example and to honor them both on my website. They are lovely people who inspire me. Here is the poem I wrote about the painting:

CLICK HERE FOR THE ORIGINAL PAINTING!

Our hearts beat as one and it whispers to the wind. What tales it could tell yet seems to hide in the shadows of day. Light sneaks through the cracks and holes surrounding it. Our heart pumps blood softly and beats slowly as if not to stir. The wholeness of this heart, in this place, in this time, with all these emotions swimming with memories…seeping through the dark places to find light. The heart of the forest shall not be bound, yet be free to blow in the wind spreading love and light. So everyone in their darkest of places may be able to see, feel, dream, and be exactly who they are in the moment. Sitting beneath this heart of ours on the forest floor, looking up at the canopy we created, feeling connected, and forever protected.

I hope you feel loved and cherished. Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for reading!

-Karen Hilliard

CLICK HERE FOR A PERSONALIZED PRINT

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

“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.

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

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, redwood trees, tree canopy, watercolor painting

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

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 art show, New Blog, watercolor painting

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

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.

Karen Hilliard Art | Blog | Redwoods | These Trees Are Tall

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

Karen Hilliard Art | Redwoods | California | Shining Light | Watercolor and Ink — SOLD

Redwoods Spreading Light | Karen Hilliard Art — SOLD

Tags california coast, New Blog, Redwoods

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