New Roland Lee Paintings from Salt Lake City Watercolor Workshops

Salt Lake City's Best artists!

Both my recent Salt Lake City workshops were themed to recent travels to the British Isles. We used my photographs as subjects, as I demonstrated how to create better paintings from ordinary travel photos. Attending the workshop were seven outstanding watercolorists: Colleen Thompson, Christena Gates, Margo Cook, Antje Evans, Catherine Humphrey, Heidi Vriens, and Joan Bodell.

8 x 12 "Cottage Gate" Workshop Demonstration Painting

8 x 12 "Irish Welcome" Workshop Demonstration Painting

8 x 12 "Shakespeare Memories" Workshop Demonstration Painting

Salt Lake City Watercolor painting Workshop with Roland Lee

This workshop explored the textures and colors of ancient crumbling walls in the British Isles. We studied how the light and shadow affects the way we see nature as we painted castles, cottages, and gardens of England and Ireland. Organized by Margo Cook with help from the Utah Watercolor Society we had an outstanding group of artists show up at the SUP headquarters building in Salt Lake City for the two-day class. Class participants included: Mark Rose, Coddie Madsen, Shari Cannon, Marjorie Anderson, JoAnne Hamm, Dewey Hansen, Tammy Northrup, Jen Brown, Lynne Peterson, Diana Edvalson, Glade Kirkham, Barbara, and Catherine Humphrey.

Diana Edvalson

Mark Rose

Tammy Northrup

Jen Brown

JoAnne Hamm

Margo Cook

Lynne Petersen

Becky Hartvigsen

Connie Madsen

Marjorie Anderson

Shari Cannon

Barbara

Dewey Hansen

Glade Kirkham

Roland Lee Painting Demonstration at Zion National Park

Roland Lee demonstrates how to do a watercolor painting at Zion National park

I was invited to do a watercolor painting demonstration for about 80 people during the Zion National Park Plein Air Art Invitational. I chose to paint the "Sun Dial" one of the towers of the Virgin visible from the Human History Museum. I showed how I plan a painting, then proceeded to lay down the basic washes, establishing light and middle values. The audience was both receptive and kind, as it is hard to complete a painting in just an hour. I needed to finish it later and it turned out nicely. The painting was purchased by Bob and Louisa Geiger in a silent auction held Saturday at the Zion Lodge.

Participants gather to ask questions following Roland Lee's painting demonstration during the 2013 Zion National Park Plein Air Art Invitational

An audience of about 80 people watched as Roland Lee completed a demonstration watercolor painting in Zion National Park at the Zion Plein Air Art Invitational

A Week Painting Outdoors at the Zion National Park Plein Air Invitational

Bob and Louisa Geiger celebrated their anniversary in Zion by purchasing two of my plein air paintings for their home.

I was fortunate to be invited to participate in the fifth annual Zion National Park Plein Air Art Invitational this past week. As you might guess, a week in Zion doing anything would be great, but combined with daily painting, workshops, and seminars it was a fantastic week! 24 of America's top plein air artists converged for the event which concluded yesterday and today with a wet-paint sale and auction. I was fortunate to sell 11 paintings completed during the week to some great art collectors. Since we painted on the spot, many of the art buyers were able to actually see the art created. Sponsored by the Zion National Park Foundation and Zion National Park, with help from many sponsors this was one of the premier plein air events in the nation.

Collector Kim Cook (right) joins me after purchasing one of my paintings at the wet-paint sale. Melanie Madsen-Thatcher and parents Mr. and Mrs. JR Madsen enjoy the paintings.

The Riley's were first at the Saturday public opening to snatch up one of my plein air paintings. 

Artists Learn to Paint the Zion Park Area at Plein Air Landscape Workshop

Workshop participants

The Clear Creek Guest Ranch outside the east entrance to Zion National Park was our headquarters for a great two-day plein air watercolor workshop. Cold mornings and warm afternoons combined with outstanding fall colors to make this the perfect painting experience. Some great artists joined us including: Mary Brown, Margo Cook, Dixie Stoddard, Myron Laub, Mark Rose, Sally Valiton, Vanessa McCullough, Mary Manning, and Chris Martin.

Mark Rose

Chris Martin

Sally Valiton

Margo Cook and Dixie Stoddard

Mary Brown

Myron Laub

Vanessa McCullough

Vanessa's sketchbook pencil study