A Pair of Tiny Paintings for Christmas

Christmas is here again and my studio is filled with the wonderful sounds of Christmas music. I decided to do a couple of small watercolor paintings of my favorite place in winter--the pioneer town of Pine Valley, Utah. After a fresh snowfall, there is nothing prettier. Click to view them on my website.

"Winter Snow 1" 4" x 6" watercolor by Roland Lee

"Winter Snow 2" 4" x 6" watercolor by Roland Lee

Happy Collectors Purchase Two Paintings at LaFave Gallery

I was excited to learn that two more of my paintings disappeared off the wall at LaFave Gallery in Springdale Utah this week. No, they were not stolen. Happy collectors purchased them during the "Colors of Fall" show which continues through November. Stop by if you are in the Zion National Park area.

"Canyon Colors" watercolor of Kolob Canyons 12  14

"Eagle Crags" watercolor of cliffs near Zion National Park 6 x 9

Award at Utah Watercolor Society Fall Show

"Red Glow in Snow Canyon," 10 x 14 watercolor by Roland Lee
received Merchant Award at the Fall 2015 UWS exhibit

I was pleased to receive a "Merchant Award" at the fall showing of the Utah Watercolor Society. The award was given to my 10 x 14 watercolor painting, "Red Glow in Snow Canyon." The show is currently on display at the Visual Art Institute in Salt Lake City, and will continue through November 6, 2015.

Final Week of Solo Show at Gallery 2901

This is the final week for my solo watercolor show at Gallery 2901 in Salt Lake City. Stop by if you get a chance. Thanks to the new collectors who have purchase paintings from the show. Special thanks to Bruce Robertson of the Visual Art Institute for hosting the exhibit.

Aging Gracefully 10 x 14

West Temple Sunrise 21 x 21

Isle of Capri 6 x 9

Zion Run-off 21 x 21

Guest Artist at Valley High School

Art students at Valley High School in Orderville, working in their new sketchbooks

Last week I was invited to be a guest instructor at my grandson, Travis Lee's Valley High School in Orderville Utah. Art teacher Connie Goulding asked me to visit two of her art classes and teach them how to use their new sketchbooks. I had a great time and found out this is a very good group of artists. Their projects were outstanding, and they all willingly participated in the exercises I gave them to help them learn to see with their artists brain. I have no doubt we will see some great sketchbook drawings in the coming weeks.

Roland Lee teaching art class at Valley High School

Art students working on drawing exercise learning to see values

Drawing is serious business!

Some of Valley High's best art students at work

A group of serious art students

Roland Lee teaching drawing skills at Valley High School

Guest artists Roland Lee demonstrating drawing techniques in Connie Goulding's art class at Valley High School.

New Watercolors for Zion National Park Show

Where Clifffs Meet Clouds

I am getting ready to send a couple of Zion studio paintings up to Zion National Park. They will be on display at the Human History Museum between now and November 8, 2015 as a prelude to the Zion National Park Plein Air Art Event November 2 through 9 at the Park. I will be presenting a free plein air demonstration on Wednesday November 4 at 2pm. Other artists will present demos every day of the show. A "wet-paint" show and sale will open Saturday November 7.

Off the Wall at LaFave Gallery

Roland Lee's little original 6 x 9 watercolor "Canyon Cottonwoods" was sold to a delighted collector by the LaFave Gallery in Springdale, Utah.

"Canyon Cottonwoods" 6 x 9 watercolor

Upcoming Fall Art Shows

Roland Lee will exhibit 10 new oil paintings at the Kayenta outdoor Art Festival. 

Sept 7 through October 2, 2015 - One Man Show at the Visual Art Institute in Salt Lake City. Reception Sept 11 6 to 9pm. 25 original watercolors will be on display.

Sept 14 through November 9, 2015 - Zion Human History Museum, Zion National Park. Each of the 24 invited artists will exhibit two paintings of Zion.

October 9-10, 2015 - Kayenta Outdoor Art Festival, Ivins Utah. Roland Lee will display his new oil paintings and will participate in a one-hour quick draw event.

November 2 through 9, 2015 - Zion National Park Plein Air Art Event. 24 invited artists will paint on location in Zion during the week and have a wet-paint sale and auction at the Human History Museum. Artist demonstrations and seminars daily.

November 19-20 - Arts to Zion, Art Hub. The Roland Lee Gallery will participate in a gallery tour both days. 10am to 3pm each day.

New Oil Paintings Coming...

I decided to spend the month of July working on some landscape paintings in oil. I was inspired by a recent plein air workshop with Brad Holt. Some of the paintings turned out pretty good, so this fall you might see a few on exhibit at the art shows and at my galleries. Here's a sneak peek at some oils in progress in the studio.

My studio and a few new oil landscapes

New Paintings of Zion National Park at Lafave Gallery

I've been working on a few new paintings of Zion National Park to replace the ones I've sold this month at Lafave Gallery in Springdale. If you get a chance this summer, stop by and see Kathy Lafave at the gallery. Her beautiful gallery is located at the entrance to Zion National Park.

"Canyon Colors" 12  x 20 watercolor painting of Kolob Fingers area of Zion Park

"Cliffs of Kolob" 10 x 14 watercolor of Zion National Park

"Flash of Gold" 7 x 9 watercolor of Zion National Park

Sketching at Pine Valley

Camping at Pine Valley Reservoir with "Old Blue" my 1988 Toyota truck and Six Pac camper.

Nellie and I took "Old Blue" up to beautiful Pine Valley last night for a little R and R and R (That's Rest, Relaxation, and Research). One of my art collectors wanted me to do a commission painting of their Pine Valley log cabin, so we took a drive up to take some photos and stayed the night at Pine Valley Reservoir. It was cool, green and wonderful. We got the last remaining campsite at the Dean Gardner Loop, which is in a stand of large pine trees adjacent to the Reservoir. The smell of mountain pines swaying in the breeze can't be beat! Before nightfall I managed a few sketches of the trees in my travel sketchbook.

Sketchbook pencil study of an evergreen tree by our campsite in Dean Gardner loop at Pine Valley

Sketchbook Pencil study of a stand of Oaks near our campsite at Pine Valley

"Old Blue," my art assault vehicle doing aquatic research at Sand Hollow Reservoir

I have to admit, half the fun of having a vintage truck and a six-pac camper is just plain camping! Always ready to roll, the camper also enjoys aquatic research once in a while. Nellie joined me for an evening at Sand Hollow Reservoir. :)

Six Pac Mini Camper on "Old Blue" my vintage Toyota pickup

Rainy Watercolor Workshop in Zion

Singing in the rain. Karen Bettilyon, Julie Strong, and Sally Valiton duck for cover during the Roland Lee watercolor painting workshop

Abraham and Isaac poke their heads into the clouds as rain begins to fall in Zion National Park.

We had great fun the past two days in my fall plein air watercolor workshop. Awesome painters, and amazing weather kept us on our toes, as we scrambled for umbrellas and cover. We generally don't get too much rain in this part of the desert, but we received a fair amount today and yesterday which will enhance an already healthy wildflower crop.

Connie Madsen at work in Snow Canyon. View through a sandstone keyhole.

Mark Gamett, from Las Vegas Nevada, with his Strada Easel setup purchased at the Monterey Plein Air Convention last month.

Julie Strong from Canada was smart enough to bring an umbrella to protect her wonderful sketchbook studies

Steve Cherry was well equipped for outdoor painting. His sketchbook studies were awesome.

Thursday we got in a sketching stop at the Pioneer Park desert reserve above St. George, then spent the afternoon painting in Snow Canyon, tucked up against the red rocks.  Everyone got right to work as the wind began to howl, and the rain clouds moved in. Most of us made good progress on our paintings in spite of a few rain showers.

Mark Rose, from Idaho works on a value study in his sketchbook prior to starting  a watercolor painting in Snow Canyon State Park. He is using a Sienna pochade paint box.

Sally Valiton from Ridgecrest California pulls a hood over hear head but keeps on working as rain begins. She is using a Sienna Pochade Box and easel.

With dark clouds hovering and a prediction of rain, we drove to Zion National Park hoping for the best, but prepared for the worst. We set up our easels near the falls at Court of the Patriarchs. The clouds broke just long enough to whet our appetites as we quickly dove into our paintings. Umbrellas and parkas came out as the rains began, but we scurried for cover under big cotton wood trees when giant hail stones began to pelt us. We hung around like stalwart pioneers as the weather got colder and we got wetter. Finally we gave in to a warm lunch at the Zion lodge, followed by a stopover at the marvelous Lafave Gallery in Springdale. We finished the day painting back in the studio, tired and happy.

Watercolor Painting Demonstration at LaFave Gallery

Kathy LaFave (left) and Roland Lee with a blank sheet before beginning his watercolor painting demonstration at LaFave Gallery in Springdale Utah

The Zion Watchman 10 x 14 watercolor painting completed  during demonstration at Lafave Gallery

Members of the Copper Club, donors to the Natural History Museum of Utah watch as Roland Lee presents a demonstration at the Lafave Gallery in Springdale Utah

Friday night I was invited to do a private watercolor painting demonstration at the LaFave Gallery in Springdale Utah. Attending the presentation were about 50 members of the "Copper Club", who are donors to the Natural History Museum of Utah. They were spending a couple of days in Zion National Park. It was fun to talk to them while I painted and it was clear many of them were either art collectors or had painting experience because they were very interested in my techniques. I was pleased to have a new collector, Mr. Aoki, purchase one of my originals for his collection. Thanks to Kathy LaFave, whose gallery is absolutely first class.

Collectors Purchase Two More Original Roland Lee Paintings

Roland Lee (left) with Linda and Ken Crandall who purchase three of Roland Lee's paintings.

A few weeks ago, I was invited by Soltis Investment Group to do a live outdoor painting demonstration in Zion National Park for a Zion Canyon Field Institute gathering. It was a fun and intimate experience with a lively and interested group of people. Two of the attendees, Ken and Linda Crandall expressed interest in my demonstration painting and after a visit to LaFave Gallery in Springdale purchased two additional paintings. It is fun to get to know my collectors and spend time with them. I was also able to meet and share art ideas with their daughter Kimberly Crandall, who is a high school art teacher. Thank you Linda, Ken, and Kim.

"Ripples along the Virgin River" watercolor by Roland Lee 

"Springtime in Zion" Plein Air watercolor by Roland Lee

Roland Lee Drawing and Sketch Book Journaling Workshop

Roland Lee Drawing Class in St. George Utah

Learning to see edges as value changes

Eight accomplished artists joined together for my April class on Sketchbook drawing and journaling. It was a fun experience with some quality art produced. We started in the studio with a powerpoint demonstration and exercises to hone our ability to see values, edges, and shapes--key elements in drawing. The techniques I taught were designed to give them the tools they need to draw anything in nature. We then went outdoors to sketch on location at Green Gate Village, a delightful place with pioneer homes, buggies, and old cars. Ed and Lindy Sandstrom, the owners, are kind enough to allow our workshop participants to sketch there frequently. Those attending included: Kurtis Larsen, Mark Rose, Peggy Hackney, Elsa Howard, Sharon Bunderson, Shari Cannon, Yvonne Hatton and Carol Lopacinski.

Gathering for a group photo at Green Gate Village during Roland Lee Drawing Workshop

Carol Lopacinski getting ready to sketch at Green Gate Village

Kurtis Larsen working in his sketch book at Green Gate Village

Shari Cannon sketching on the lawn at Green Gate Village in St. George Utah

Artist Mark Gunn Rose drawing on location in his Watson Guptill Sketchbook

Peggy Hackney finds a comfortable place to sketch during Roland Lee Drawing Workshop in St. George

Elsa Howard, Peggy Hackney and Shari Cannon in the studio during a Roland Lee Drawing Workshop at A Passion for Painting

Sharon Bunderson, Yvonne Hatton, and Kurtis Larson in Roland Lee Drawing Workshop