Art for Kids at Panorama Elementary School

Oh, the energy of 60 second-graders!

How do you choose from so many hands raised? Do I look a little dazed?

Listening to the children read during recess

Do these kids look happy? Miss Ridd's class with their own boxes of art cards.

I was invited to talk to the young children at Panorama Elementary School in Washington recently. Alice Blair, an arts advocate who helps the second grade students with reading skills, invited me to share some thoughts with these "budding" artists. Lacey Ridd was the host teacher and her class was joined by two others to fill the room with over 60 eager and enthusiastic kids! I am always amazed at the depth of understanding that the kids have. They asked thoughtful and well-worded questions about my career and what they could do to become artists. I encouraged them to draw what they see and to get out and enjoy our beautiful world. After presenting a powerpoint demonstration I gave each of them a box of my art cards and encouraged them to write and draw in them. I was pretty tired afterward, and once again amazed at their energy and the ability of their teachers to keep up with them day after day.

Watercolor Award at Sears Invitational Art Show

Roland Lee with collectors Lawrence and Janine Lambert in front of his painting "Duck Creek Deadfall." The Lambert's own a number of Roland's paintings.

I was pleased to receive an award at the Sears Invitational Art Show currently being exhibited on the Dixie State University campus in the Eccles Museum. It is always an honor to be invited to participate in this prestigious show. My watercolor painting, "Snow Canyon Sunrise" received second place in watercolor. I also exhibited a new big painting called "Duck Creek Deadfall."

Roland with his award winning painting "Snow Canyon Sunrise."

Watercolor Workshop at snowy Flaming Gorge

Flaming Gorge Reservoir at Sunset near the town of Dutch John Utah

The beautiful desert covered in snow

A great group of experienced artists at the Flaming Gorge Resort

We're enjoying two days of watercolor painting at Flaming Gorge Resort. A great group of experienced artists are hard at work in my watercolor workshop exploring the finer points of landscape painting. Tomorrow we work on snow paintings which will fit right in with the snow storm we are expecting the next two days. This is our first time to visit this part of our beautiful state and we are impressed. The drive across the mountains and desert to get here treated us to some amazing views of mesas and rocks layered with a foot of snow. What a fairy-tale site!