Tag: New Blog

“Redwoods – Stand United”

Shapes appear in the shadows as I walk the cool paths through the forest. Small tree stumps are blanketed by moss and decomposing needles. Large tall trees tower over the stumps protecting them from wind and rain. Branches twist and turn sculpted by the elements throughout time. How many have walked these paths beneath the trees? What stories would these trees tell if given the chance? I was talking with a fellow artist friend from Roma, Italy about this very idea after she read one of my previous blogs on the Redwoods. Her name is Celia Blanco and here is the link to her website if you would like to view some amazing watercolors! She is also a lovely lady. This one friendly chat of inspirational thoughts solidifies we are all connected. Worlds away and the internet brought us together like two trees in a forest. This is what my painting series is all about. Togetherness. Here is the third painting in the series, “Redwoods-Stand United.”

This painting incorporates my love of the Redwood forests and the beauty all around us. The forest scene adds colors from real life as well as my imagination while beneath the canopy. It is titled to show how even though we are all shaped differently, we can stand united and grow into something beautiful. I was recently speaking with a friend about how as teachers, we protect children from everything, especially bullying. I write this because it is a good reminder as adults. How are our actions or words representing what we want to teach or show children growing up in this world? How can we “Stand United,” to show strength and love? As adults we have a huge responsibility like those tall trees in the forest to protect the life beneath them. Also keeping in mind the forest floor protects the tall trees as well. All of us together. We are all made different and this is such a beautiful thing. Even though trees look similar, they are all unique, yet they help one another survive. I hope these thoughts leave you with hope. Have a Terrific Tuesday and thank you for reading!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags New Blog, watercolor painting

Sheffield Spice and Tea Company

The aroma hits the nostrils and entices the senses. Wondering what we want to make for dinner or for when future guests arrive runs through our mind. The best conversations start at Sheffield Spice and Tea Company, one of our favorite places to go. We go in for tea to help us stay awake while raising our little one yet all the smells inspire us in so many ways. We dream about our farm one day and the lovely garden we will have to plant all the vegetables we desire most. As we wandered around the store, I of course became mesmerized by the artistic teapots and little mugs. Last time we were there I spied this lovely tea mug that a ceramic artist painted owls around. I bought it for inspiration on late nights while I work endlessly to get these blogs out and paintings finished. I write endlessly because I hope to continue my craft for all my days, therefore have art be a never ending journey for my soul.

The tea I chose to keep me motivated during the long nights and early mornings was “Sleepy Hollow Pumpkin Chai” and yes, I did link it. Their tea can also be purchased online as well as their spices. This tea has many ingredients. Here are some…Black tea, Ginger, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Black and White pepper, Clove, Nutmeg…and the list goes on. The owner of the shop adds cute little sweeteners with Halloween shapes also. One of the highlights of this shop is speaking with the owners. They are very knowledgeable about their products and also give great cooking advice. This little shop in Henderson, Nevada is a magical place! If you can go, I hope you will find happiness. Thank you for reading and have a Wonderful Weekend! Also, stay tuned for my blog tomorrow on “Redwoods – Stand United,” and my blog on Tuesday including the release of New Tiny Paintings!!

-Karen Hilliard

Tea is also delicious out on the trails.

Tags New Blog, Review

Weekend Glimpse

Hello Everyone, I hope you are doing well and that you all had a lovely weekend. After my last blog about “Smells” I realized that over the last few years I have been baking and cooking more. I am very fond of recipes I find on the internet and then I tweak them a bit for my family’s likes and dislikes. Do any of you do this? So, while thinking about smells of nature and memories, I also have been thinking about how food can make memories as well. Warming the heart and hearth of the home so to speak. Do any of you have a favorite recipe you would like to share or discuss? This weekend we wanted Gingerbread Pancakes. There are many recipes out there and some are difficult to navigate. Especially when you have limited time and just want to start cooking. I end up going with recipes we have the ingredients for. Here is the link to the Gingerbread Recipe we used this weekend from the ambitious kitchen. This person also has many other recipes I am now keen to try. I think we chose Gingerbread because all the amazing fall and winter holidays are coming up.

Being up on Mt. Charleston and staring at the mighty Ponderosa Pine tree, then smelling the butterscotch emanating from it, inspired me in so many ways. I think on the weekends that I will try new recipes and try to mention them in my blogs. From Butterscotch smells to Gingerbread Treats. It has been an amazing two weeks of imagination. The pancakes turned out wonderful and our family loved them. They definitely are going in our recipe book with a few tweaks of course. They tasted very light on the spices and the maple syrup really brought out all the flavors. I enjoyed how light and cake-like they were as well. In the photograph pictured here, we have our mugs from Sheffield Spice and Tea Company in Las Vegas. I will also be writing a blog about their teas and which ones we particularly love. I fancy a good black tea in the morning! What is your favorite? I am happy to find it at this shop and give it a try! My husband is willing to match this sediment on any spices. Let me know in the comments or contact me off my website! Thank you for reading and have a Marvelous Monday!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags New Blog

Smells

What is the first thing that comes into your mind when you read the title? I think about this time of year and breathe in the scents of Pumpkin Scones and Pumpkin Spice Lattes. The aroma of these smells will live in my memory forever. This is probably due to the fact that most of my memories that happened in the fall season have been pleasant. Making memories is vastly important and can help develop compassion as well as empathy. Thinking about the importance of this and how certain smells can help people remember their happiest moments, I was very excited to share the smelling of Ponderosa Pines with our next generation. Hiking up Fletcher Trail was a magical experience in itself. There were so many rocks to captivate the young mind of a child and myself. The tree branches blowing in the soft wind above us were beautiful. The young oak trees producing tiny acorns were a joy to find, like a scavenger hunt for example. This hike was just a wonderful experience and I am glad I can share it with all of you in these blogs and the two Tiny Paintings I created. I hope my paintings help people connect and bring fond memories into their minds.

Fletcher Trail Tree Study.1 | Karen Hilliard Art | Ink and Watercolor | Original Art

Fletcher Trail Tree Study 2 | Karen Hilliard Art | Ink and Watercolor | Original Art

After the hike was over, I wondered what our daughter may remember. What feelings and emotions did she connect to this hike or experience? About a week later, my husband and I took her to a local park and she walked up to smell a tree, then looked at us and smiled. It amazes me how children are far smarter than a lot of people assume. They truly watch everything we do and listen to everything we say. How they interpret it is very different for each child and it is a wonder to watch her little mind work. We also took her to the Redwoods in California last winter and she got to touch the needles feeling them between her fingertips. Every Time we are out in nature she loves to touch the trees. We always make sure there are no thorns on the bushes of course. The desert life can be unforgiving as they all protect themselves from the harsh conditions of their climate. We hope to teach her well and how to respect all living organisms.

Redwoods Stand Strong | Karen Hilliard Art — **CLICK HERE FOR THE 4″ x 4″ TINY PAINTINGS**

Here are some new paintings I created with the memories of the Redwood forest where our family visited last winter. I can still close my eyes and smell the crisp coastal air. I hope these paintings bring people happy memories and spread peace. We are all connected! Have a wonderful weekend and thank you for reading!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags New Blog, watercolor painting

Fletcher Trail Part Two

As we trekked up Fletcher Trail on Mt. Charleston, I was beginning to know how steep the incline really was. My breathing started to become quicker and shorter. In some parts I felt as if I was gasping a bit to get oxygen to my lungs. There was the terrifying thought of the smoke in the air and if it was a problem for the baby or myself. Then, I remembered, this was my first uphill hike in nearly two years and I had a bit more weight to carry than previous hikes. Not only have I gained weight due to pregnancy and delivery…I also had an entirely different being attached to my back. My husband and I are very tall and above the average height for a man or woman so it makes sense that our child is also tall for her age. I am lucky that she already would love to walk the trails with me. This being said…we do stop a lot to pick up rocks and find fascinating wonders of nature. Hiking these days is truly different and I love every minute of it.

The constant reminder to stop and enjoy the moment is wonderful. We never had a problem doing this before, yet now it is even more necessary. The things found by a child are items I would forget to take a second look at normally. I love the decay and decomposition of nature and recently have had the experience to look upon it with a completely new lens. Also on these new hiking excursions I have found sketching to be completely changed. Now, I am content with just a line. A hint of the subject if you will. Then a photograph for background reference just for these blogs, and a little painting upon returning home. This new way of looking at the world is becoming my favorite genre of my life. This is my best chapter yet in the book of life being created. In Friday’s blog, I will write about the rock fascination and the smells of the trail. Stay tuned and have a wonderful Wednesday!

Thank you for reading,

-Karen Hilliard

I created two small 4” x 4” paintings on this hike. More will be written about them in the future blogs as well. If you would like to view or purchase one of these paintings, just click them and you will be directed straight to them on my website.

Tags New Blog, watercolor painting

Fletcher Trail Part One

Driving up the mountain to the trail was an experience. The smoky air created a haze through the valley and I was unsure we would be able to hike. Stopping at the Visitor’s Center to speak with the rangers was a must to check on air quality and conditions. The verdict was that we still had time to hike safely. We were good on water and snacks but I still wanted to choose a quick out and back trail for safety reasons. The original goal was to hike the North Loop Trail, yet I decided on Fletcher. I had no idea the once thought of as a flat trail was actually a bit steep and an incline for the whole start. A lot can change when carrying a tiny human on my back. I am learning a lot in this new era of my life. Some of it, I am about to share with all of you.

Arriving in the parking lot was a feat in itself and we were lucky to have found a space. Then, there is the gathering of items, getting everything together, changing a baby, and getting her situated in the backpack. This is her favorite part of the entire experience. She loves being up in the air and among the trees. The water was ready, the snacks and diapers were packed. Good to go! Leaving the parking lot we ran into two hikers and I mentioned Ponderosa Pines smell like butterscotch if they wanted to smell them on the hike. They scoffed it off and hiked on, yet two really nice people overheard and said, “They do! Isn’t it so cool!” I love random, awesome people!!

After this I began our hike up, yes up, Fletcher Trail!! I will write more about our amazing experience in my blog on Wednesday, and for now I will leave you with these sketches I did. The sketch on the trail was a quick pen line with some circles to represent leaves. I painted the rest upon arriving home. I also created two small 4” x 4” paintings I included below. More will be written about them in the future blogs as well. If you would like to view or purchase one of these paintings, just click them and you will be directed straight to them on my website. I hope you all have a Marvelous Monday. Thank you for reading!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags New Blog, watercolor painting

Walking in Different Worlds

I walk in many worlds. One I visit often is the place I am surrounded by with the dry desert air and beautiful sunsets on the horizon. Another is my childhood memories calling me home and longing for the coastal scenes from California. As for my paintings, I think recently there has been a little back and forth amongst the desert scenery and the tall trees of my homeland. After working on the detailed piece “Resolute Protector,” from Grove of Old Trees in California, I needed to relax with some Tiny Paintings. The series took on a life of its own after I went to the Sunflower Fields with my family. I became fascinated with the flowers and the insects working hard at their daily tasks. One of the 4” x 4” paintings I did was of a bee whose wings were quite on the way out and I wondered how long their life would be. What have they been through, I thought? How many times were they out after sundown and could not get back to the hive? Did they have to wait for the dew to dry and is that why their wings looked so tattered or were they attacked by another insect like the green beetles flying about?

Orchard Bee Study Number 1 | Karen Hilliard Art | Watercolor — **CLICK EACH PAINTING TO SEE THEM ON MY WEBSITE!**

Orchard Beetle Study Number 1 | Karen Hilliard Art | Watercolor — **CLICK EACH PAINTING TO SEE THEM ON MY WEBSITE!**

My husband had other thoughts because some of the beetles were hanging out closely together. The males and females if you know what I mean. He had funny questions we discussed over the breakfast burritos after we walked the fields of Gilcrease Orchard. So the world I walk in currently is one of flowers, heat, rock formations, and some trees located on Mt. Charleston. I tell you all of this because my blogs may be a bit all over the place in the coming months. I will go back and forth from my new body of work on the Redwoods and my deep love for the desert as well. Mt. Charleston is home to Bristlecone, Ponderosa, and other pines as well as oak, and manzanita trees. To say that I am overstimulated would be about on point. My next Newsletter should have my new rock piece and Redwood pieces finished. We shall see. I feel like a very little busy bee these days…at least in my mind art wise. Now, to find the time between making food, cleaning the home, and hiking the trails, to actually sit down and paint! Watch for videos and blog posts. They are coming!

Thank you for reading and have a fantastic Friday!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags New Blog, watercolor painting

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

Tags New Blog, watercolor painting

Sunflower Fields

The day started with thick cumulus clouds in the early morning and we were happy they stayed in the sky our entire outing. Having cloud coverage in the desert is always a glorious day because they help by blocking the radiance and heat of the sun. The forecast said today would be in the 80’s during the morning hours, yet we felt the heat rising quickly and knew our time would be cut shorter than expected. We took many photos in the fields which consisted of the sunflowers, pollinators, beetles, and our little family.

Watching our next generation wander and forage through the fields was quite entertaining. I loved seeing her hold her father’s hand as she walked through the fields. I took many photographs of them together that I will cherish forever. My husband was fascinated with the beetles and all the bugs working hard at their daily tasks. He took really great photos as I walked with our baby and explored the undergrowth beneath the flowers. She loved all the straw and sticks. Eventually we had to let her go barefoot to feel the earth under her toes. Textile stimulation is so important and drastically changes the experience of exploration.

We both took lovely shots of the flowers themselves and I have many reference photos to peruse for future paintings. This little visit to Gilcrease Orchard was not only a great family day but a wondrous art day for myself as well. I look forward to the many paintings to come from this experience. Have a Fabulous Friday Evening or Saturday Morning for my friends abroad. I also hope you all have a lovely weekend and get to do something fun. If you are in the Las Vegas area or visiting, there is an art show at the Sahara West Library Gallery. I have a painting on display in the Nevada Watercolor Society Fall Show if you are interested or looking for something to do. The display is up until November 23rd. There are also three other art shows going on until that date at the gallery. Enjoy and as always, thank you for reading!

-Karen Hilliard

Current Available Sunflower Paintings:

Sunflower Series 2 Number 1 | Karen Hilliard Art | Watercolor | Tiny Paintings

Click each painting above to go directly to the artwork on my website!

Tags New Blog

Labor of Love

Happy Labor Day Everyone! Here is my labor of love. I want to thank everyone for supporting my art over the years. Every purchased painting helps me continue showing, driving to trails for blogging, and buying supplies needed for my paintings so I can pursue this art dream. It is not always easy or financially stable but worth every second of hard work and dedication. When you buy a painting, you are not only supporting my small business, you are also helping out my little family. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I really appreciate you all and hope you have a wonderful day!

Here is a little Fall love for this wonderful September month. The paintings I chose for this blog and social media posts today contain sunflowers, fall leaves, and the undergrowth of a redwood forest in California. If you are interested in any of the paintings or more information about the art, you can click on each individual picture. Clicking will take you to my website so you can view and purchase the paintings. Each painting is an original 4” x 6” watercolor or a watercolor and ink. After recently visiting the sunflower fields at Gilcrease Orchard, I am really fascinated by sunflowers and pollinators again. One of my favorite paintings on this blog post is the sunflower just starting to open up. I hope you all had wonderful days today and please know, your work and what you do is appreciated. People see you and keep up the great work! Have a Marvelous Monday Evening and thank you for reading!

-Karen Hilliard

Tags New Blog, red rock canyon, sunflower painting, watercolor painting