Thursday, February 18, 2010

Artist in Residence Zion National Park

Artists Dennis Farris and Roland Lee in Zion National Park
I enjoyed spending a little time today with artist Dennis Farris, who is working in Zion National Park as the Artist in Residence. He is the first artist to get to stay in the restored Grotto Museum building which now provides housing for the Artist in Residence Program. The Zion National Park Foundation (of which I am a board member) raised funds for the restoration project, so I was pretty excited to meet Dennis and see how he liked his new "digs."I have to admit I'm pretty jealous. Not too many people get to wake up each morning to the sun rising over the massive cliffs of Zion Canyon.
Dennis Farris is the Zion National Park artist in Residence during February 2010The Grotto building makes a wonderful studio. I watch as Dennis works on a small oil painting inside the Grotto "studio." Check out Dennis Farris' blog for day-to-day updates on his Zion Canyon experience. He is truly an amazing painter.


After leaving Dennis at the studio I hiked part way up the Observation Point Overlook Trail to get some photos. The trail was still snow-packed and iced over so it wasn't too safe, but the view across to Angel's Landing was fantastic. I did a few pencil sketches in my travel sketchbook of some of the cliff formations.



Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Ian Ramsay Watercolor Demonstration

Artist Ian Ramsay demonstration for Southern Utah Watercolor Society in St. Goerge Utah
Utah artist Ian Ramsay presented a watercolor painting demonstration tonight for a combined meeting of the Southern Utah Watercolor Society and the Hurricane Valley Art
Alliance. Ian's work is well-known and he just won the purchase award last week at the Sears Invitational Art Show. He will be teaching a two-day workshop Thursday and Friday in St. George.

Sunday, February 14, 2010

St. George Gallery Art Walk

It was fun to meet with collectors and fellow artists who came down for the St. George Art Gallery Walk. Jane Juber, Gallery Director, hosted a nice open house at both The Mission Gallery and the Authentique Gallery. Pleasant weather greeted our out-of-town guests who combined this event with the Sears Invitational Art Show and the Kayenta Art Festival, creating a great art-filled weekend.

Michael Bingham, Roland Lee, and Craig Fetzer in front of the Impressions Gallery in St. Goerge Utah
Artists Michael Bingham, Roland Lee, and Craig Fetzer in front of Fetzer's Impressions Gallery.

Artist Michael Malm at the Authentique Gallery
One of my favorite figurative painters, Michael Malm stands in front of his incredible new oil painting of Jesus with the children. The painting just blew me away. I am privileged to own one of his religious paintings and am always stunned by his handling of light and shadow.

Artist Julie Rogers at the Mission Gallery
My good friend Julie Rogers poses with her amazingly vibrant pastel paintings of pioneer scenes.

Artist Robert Call at the Mission Gallery
Landscape painter Robert Call creates rich images of the Utah landscape, using a combination of loose and tight painterly brush strokes.

Friday, February 12, 2010

Award at the Sears Invitational Art Show

Artist Roland Lee with the Bensons who purchased his award-winning painting at the Dixie College Sears Invitational Art Exhibit

I just returned from the opening gala of the 2010 Sears Invitational Art Show at Dixie State College where I was pleased to receive second place with my watercolor painting "Nature's Sculpture". The Sears show is one of the premiere art exhibits in Utah and funds raised support the College Missions as well as the Eccles Gallery on campus. Clark and Sandra Jo Benson purchased my award-winning painting for their art collection.


Nellie and Roland Lee at the 2010 Sears Invitational Art Show at Dixie State College

Thursday, February 11, 2010

On the Beach in San Diego

Artist Roland Lee at the Cabrillo Tide Pools in San Diego

My last few posts consisted of my hikes in the rain and snow. This past week I spent in beautiful San Diego California, and enjoyed sunshine, surf, and sand! What a contrast. I attended the Association for Partners in Public Lands Conference representing Zion Natural History Association and the Zion National Park Foundation. Board members of National Park Partner organizations joined NPS staffers and others as we met to discuss ways to keep the public lands healthy, open, and vital for future generations.

Of course people who enjoy the land can't stay indoors all the time, so we took advantage of the location to visit Cabrillo National Monument and other coastal locations. While the eastern seaboard experienced blizzard conditions, I was frolicking in the surf! What a contrast. As always I hoped to catch a distant glimpse of a whale on its migration run, but after scanning the horizon in vain, I turned my attention to the tiny creatures at my feet.

Sea anemone at the Cabrillo Tide Pools in San Diege
A beautiful Sea Anemone looks for a meal in the Cabrillo Tide Pools

The tide pools are teeming with tiny creatures


A short video clip of the ocean at Cabrillo National Monument

Friday, February 05, 2010

Painting the Red Rocks - February Watercolor Workshops


Workshop Students use their sketchbooks to study light and shadow on the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve.

I held back to back two-day watercolor workshops February 2-5 at A Passion for Painting Art Studio. We enjoyed sketching and painting outdoors at Snow Canyon, and on the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve north of St. George, along with working in the studio. See my website for more photos of the classes.


Painting on location near Snow Canyon


I completed several quick watercolor demonstration paintings for the students in the first workshop.