Inspired by Red Rock Canyon

Red Rock Canyon in Nevada holds an enormous amount of inspiration for me. I love the way the colors move together and each day the light is different. The weather varies as well making for interesting hikes. I stop to sketch or take photos while my dog runs between my husband and myself trying to keep our pack together. Our daughter plays with sand beneath her feet while ravens fly overhead. So many memories are intertwined with this canyon including my inspiration. I decided on Red Rock Canyon for one of my Tiny Painting Series to share my love of the desert with all of you.

Number 1 in the series is a burro. This burro came up to us on the trail and kept its distance. It ate, frolicked, and enjoyed the time in its habitat. We respectfully stood still and told our dog to “just watch” as that is his command for not disturbing nature. He sits and stares at burros, deer, and wildlife without barking. He is a pretty awesome companion. I tried to capture the gentleness of the burro and the softness of the moment we all shared. This memory is from a time predating our daughter. She has yet to see a burro in real life and I am so excited to experience this with her someday.

Number 2 is a painting of a Juniper Tree. I chose to paint a section of the cones and tried to make the tree more subtle. I added light and shadow to emphasize the cones. Juniper berries are actually cones and I find this very interesting. This tree is one of my favorites to paint for the texture, color differences, and variants of light. One one of our recent hikes, my daughter and I were backpacking and I introduced her to the Juniper Tree. She was captivated by the cones and held on to it for quite a while throughout the hike.

I loved sitting in the desert with my little sketchbooks and watercolors. Lately, I snap a photograph and paint them later upon returning home. My new fascination is watching our daughter experience nature. While I was outside, I would try to do a quick sketch and paint washes to remember the color and emotion I felt while I was there. Now, when I return home, I sit down and create pieces with the memory, the photograph, and a lot more detail. Life has changed in the best of ways. I hope you all enjoy this series, the blogs about it, and the walk with me in nature through these paintings. Thank you for reading and have a lovely weekend!

-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 all again for your support!