Southern Utah History through Paintings

I have always enjoyed doing paintings of the early pioneer era of southern Utah. Especially fun is creating a painting where I bring to life a moment in history using research and my imagination. As tonight's invited "Third Thursday" speaker at the St. George Art Museum I prepared a powerpoint showing how I create a historical painting from research to the painting process. Two of the featured paintings were the murals I created for the Washington County Library. Those involved an especially long research period followed by a unique painting method using oils, instead of my usual watercolors. After mounting belgian linen to a hardboard panel, I used the wall of my storage unit as an easel, nailing the panel in position, and painting vertically. Why the storage unit? My studio is too small to accomodate a 4 ft by 8 ft painting! Why oils? too big for watercolor paper. I showed slides of the painting process as the painting progressed from early sketches and planning through painting and completion. It was fun to look back on that project as well as other historical paintings, some of which are on display at the museum through May 25, 2012.


Roland Lee at work on his mural for the Washington County Library

2nd Annual New Visions Group Art Show at Santa Clara Town Hall

Jane Juber and the Mission Gallery will host a special two-day art exhibit Friday and Saturday at the Santa Clara Town Hall. I will have about 12 paintings on display. A number of other gallery artists will be present for the show, which will feature over 100 pieces on exhibit. The show is scheduled to coincide with the dedication of the new Town Hall mural completed by Julie Rogers. Her painting depicts the history of Santa Clara and its founding pioneer families. We were out there today as Julie put the finishing touches on the mural in preparation for the dedication ceremony Friday at 11am.



Above: Artist Julie Rogers puts the finishing touches on her historic mural at the Santa Clara Town Hall.

Selection Process for City of Santa Clara Mural

I was asked to be an artist representative on the committee to make the final selection of a 30-foot mural for the City of Santa Clara Office Building. I reluctantly agreed, although I hate to judge my peers. Kathleen Nielsen headed the committee and did a great job of pre-selection. We all came together only after the final three applicants were selected. I was blown away when I found out who they were -- all well-known and top-level artists. All their presentations were incredible, but in the end artist Julie Rogers was given the commission. It seemed so brutal to select only one with the quality of work they all presented. I don't want to do that again.

CHARLES HARRINGTON ACRYLIC WORKSHOP IN HURRICANE, UTAH

Artist Charles Harrington presented a painting workshop for the Hurricane Arts Group this week. He spoke to a larger group tonight about his methods of painting Acrylic landscapes, using a typical watercolor technique. He has won numerous awards from American Watercolor Society, Watercolor USA, and many others and authored a book for Northlight Press on his unique methods. He was presented with one of my "Mukuntuweap" books as a gift. I enjoyed meeting him and enjoying his wonderful talent.

Library Murals Unveiled Today

After a two-week delay, the murals I painted for the Washington County Library were finally hung and opened for public view today. I am pleased with them and hope the community enjoys them as well. A dedication will take place on February 19 at 10:00am at the Library.

Finished Mural for the Children's Library

“Reading – A Window to the Past, and a Doorway to the Future”
Oil Painting by By Roland Lee

Southern Utah is a unique and wonderful place. The power of nature has sculpted the land into a complex labyrinth of towers and canyons, where prehistoric creatures and ancient peoples have carved their own marks as they struggled to survive in a harsh, but beautiful environment.
1. The towering walls and deep canyons of Zion National Park are evidence of the geologic upheavals that shaped our land. Today millions of people from all over the world travel to Utah to see Zion’s wonders.
2. Even before man stepped foot on this land, prehistoric creatures left their large footprints. The Allosaurus, a fierce carnivore, was so prevalent in Utah that it is now the official fossil of the State of Utah. Hundreds of tracks of other dinosaurs have been discovered and preserved near St. George.
3. Although other white explorers had visited southern Utah, the Mormon pioneers were the first to colonize the area. Travelling by covered wagon, they brought little with them as they struggled to farm the desert and tame the Rio Virgin.
4. Ancient peoples inhabited this land long before the white man came. The Anasazi left symbols of their life on rock walls, pottery shards, and dwellings. But the southern Paiutes, who came in 1200 AD and live here still, provide our strongest cultural link to human history in this land.
5. As a child I was fascinated by space flight and watched in awe when man stepped on the moon’s surface in 1969. Today, people of many nations work together in space stations and travel freely back and forth into space on vehicles such as the Discovery Space Shuttle. Who knows what changes technology will bring to the lives of tomorrow’s children?

Mural for the Children's Library

This past week I've been working on the second large painting for the new Washington County Library. this one will go in the Children's Library area. I wanted to depict the history of the area, showing a couple of young people opening a book to learn about the past as they look to the future.

In the first sketch I planned for an 8 foot painting and included a dinosaur, the Native Peoples, the Pioneers, and Space Shuttle.



When I visited the spot in the library where the painting is going to be placed I decided to reduce the width of the painting to 6 feet. I zeroed in on a few specifics and added red cliffs in the background to show the unique geology of the area. Now I've got the design worked out and feel pretty comfortable with it.



I started by mounting Claessons Belgian Linen to hardboard then sketched up the drawing using a prismacolor pencil. With my drawing and reference photos taped to the canvas, I started working on the children's faces before moving on to some of the other elements.



The history of southern Utah is filled with fantastic subjects. On the left are two southern Paiutes, representing the indigenous peoples who lived here first. Behind them is a covered wagon used by early Mormon Pioneer settlers. The red sandstone cliffs of Zion Canyon rise up in the background to show the incredible and unique geology found here. The Allosaurus was one of the fiercest meat-eating dinosaurs who once tromped through Utah, and is now the State Fossil of Utah. Finally a space shuttle launch brings us into the present and future through space exploration.

The Library Mural Painting is Finished

At last I finished the library mural painting. Upon completion I got the approval of Douglas Alder from the library committee, then we brought in construction manager, Bob Coulter to discuss placement and framing of the painting. We decided that they would construct an architectural frame of the same walnut stained red oak that was being used on the woodwork in the library. I let the painting dry for a couple of weeks then applied a varnish coat for protection.

the Mural Goes Outside

Today I lifted the big mural off the wall and carried it outside so I could take a better look at it. Still lots to do, but it holds together well. I am pleased.

At Work on the Library Mural

Here's a photo of yours truly at work on the library mural. As you can see it is getting close. I completed two of the buildings today. By the way, the brush I'm using is Gerald Olson's (see previous post.) I thought it would be fitting to use his brush as I worked on the historic buildings, since Jerry actually taught his first years in the old Academy building in the painting on the left.

I'll have to hang up the brushes for a couple of days to go pick up my wife Nellie in Highland. I will sure be glad to have my partner back again. This is the longest we have been apart in our life and I miss her.

Mural Progress Update

My wife Nellie has been gone for the past two weeks and I've missed her a lot. She went to stay at our other home in Highland Utah to tend our grandkids while Jim and Barb vacationed in Mexico. Tomorrow I will head up north to join her and her bring her home. While she's been gone I've been working long days on the mural painting. I thought I would finish it by today, but it still needs more work on the buildings and background. Here's an update photo.

Mural progress step by step

I made a little more progress on the mural today. Here's a few update photos from previous posts including the painting as it stands today. The problem is not only getting it finished on time, but allowing it enough time to dry before hanging. I may be pushing this one. I have to set it aside again as I am participating in the Dixie Arts Foundation's Art in the Park exhibit Friday and Saturday.

Working on the Library Mural

After a great workshop at Lake Powell I'm back in the studio again working on the large oil painting for the Washington County Library. It seems to be taking me a long time to do this painting, partially because of the sheer size. But I also have to switch my thinking from my usual watercolor technique to the oil painting approach. The main difference with oils of course is that you establish the darks first and finish up with the lights. Whereas in watercolor because of its transparency you must preserve the whites by painting around them using what I call "backpainting." In either medium the important thing to remember is the importance of value contrast.

Since the figures are the real focal point, I will complete them first. I will then move on to the background buildings which depict all of the libraries in St. George since the 1800's. I will paint them in a lighter value or tone, and reduce the intenisty of color there to help push them into the background.

Putting an Underglaze on the Buildings

I rubbed in a thin underglaze of burnt sienna on the buildings using thinner to establish an even value. Then I set everything aside and headed out to Page Arizona for a workshop with David Drummond at Lake Powell.I will get back to the mural on Monday when I return.

Getting Started on the Library Mural

I finally got started painting the 4' x 8' library mural this week. Actually it's not technically a mural, but a very large painting. It will be mounted on the wall permanently and surrounded by a frame, though, so either term probably works. I ordered Claessons Oil primed Belgian linen from Dick Blick and mounted it on a tempered masonite panel using Demco's archival adhesive. I then hung the panel on the wall of my frame shop (my studio is too small) so I can work vertically. It's worked pretty well so far. Here are a few of photos of the process after two days of painting.


From my 10" x 20" pencil layout, I transferred the design using grids in red pencil. I did some sketching directly on the linen using pencil, but used a red pencil for the main outlines, since it smears less when the first paint is applied.



I decided to work on the figures first and establish their main values, leaving the background buildings for later. Once the figures are almost complete I will work on the background and return for the final detail work on the figures last.



I'll be able to block in a little more tomorrow, and apply a red underglaze to the buildings. Then I'll set this painting aside for a few days, as I head off for Lake Powell to take a watercolor workshop with David Drummond.

Finding the Models and the Pioneer Clothing

Today I stopped by and visited a good friend and fellow artist, Sam Lawlor, to get some tips for the library mural project. He is one of the finest artists I know when it comes to the figure and has a lot of experience painting historical scenes. After showing him my rough sketches Sam gave me free reign to use his period costume collection. I left with a big bag of clothing and went right to work.

We know a beautiful young family that lives across the street, the Schweitzers, and they readily agreed to be my models for an afternoon photo shoot. In about an hour I knew I had enough material to help me not only on this painting but several others as well. The kids were fabulous and couldn't have been more perfect.

Here's one of the shots. I think they look wonderful!

Washington County Library Mural

I met today with Douglas Alder, the Chairman of the Washington County Library Board, and Brenda, the library director, to go over the initial sketches for the library paintings. They were pleased with the concepts, and had a few additional suggestions. Target date for installation is the first week in December 2006, with the official dedication ceremony set for February 19, 2007.

In the photo (l to r)Doug Alder, architect Ben Rogers, and the building project manager.

Library Mural Drawings

I worked up a couple of rough sketches today for the new Washington County Library Painting. I think I've got the idea down, I just need to work out the details. I'm planning a 4' x 8' painting in oils which will be the biggest painting I've ever done. I'm probably crazy, but I really want to do this.



A 10 inch x 20 inch rough "thumbnail sketch"