New Painting Accepted in 52nd Annual Watercolor West International Juried Exhibit

I was notified that my painting "Moroccan Musician," painted after a trip to Spain and Marocco, was juried into the 2020 52nd annual Watercolor West International Juried Exhibition. This is the second straight year one of my paintings has been juried into this  elite show. It will be on display at the Brea Gallery in California from September through December 2020. The juror was noted watercolorist Iain Stewart.

Roland Lee Painting Featured in "Plein Air Collector" Newsletter

I was pleased to have my painting, "Long Term Parking" selected to illustrate the article "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" in the July 2020 issue of "Plein Air Collector" and "Outdoor Painter" online newsletters. The painting features an old Ford car parked forever next to an even older barn in northern Utah. We discovered the old relic while painting during the Plein Air Utah event in 2019.

"Long Term Parking" watercolor by Roland Lee

Foy family adds to their art collection

I appreciate all my collectors, especially during the Coronavirus restriction period, which limited visitors to my gallery. Many of them have come through for me and purchased paintings for their collections. I'm grateful for my good friend Garrick Foy and his wife for adding one of my paintings to his collection, "Zion's Last Light" a 21 x 29 watercolor of Zion National Park.

Collector Purchases Plein Air Painting of Bryce Canyon

Thanks to my wonderful art collector D. Hines who just ordered another original painting online. I shipped the painting, "Sunset Point Hoodoos" to him today. I completed the painting en plein air during a public demonstration I did at Bryce Canyon.

Roland Lee Painting at Bryce Canyon

Working on the painting at Bryce Canyon Sunset Point Overlook

"Sunset Point Hoodoos" watercolor by Roland Lee

29 Paintings Sold at 3-Man Show

Jim, Jonathan and Roland Lee hanging paintings for their first three-man show at the Roland Lee Art Gallery in St. George, UT.

Wow, what a fun experience having my two sons, Jim and Jonathon, join me for a three-man show at my St. George Gallery. I took most of my own artwork down except for about ten paintings and literally filled my walls with the watercolors of my sons. Both have been really good at drawing since childhood, but only in the past two years have taken up painting. So it was  areal thrill to have them join me for our first big show together. We had lots of people come to the opening reception Thursday night, and all day Friday and Saturday. Amazingly we sold 29 paintings between the three of us so it was a resounding success. I hope we can do it again some time.

120 artists at Plein Air Utah Retreat and Rendezvous

100 artists joined 22 faculty members at the Plein Air Utah Retreat and Rendezvous last week in Midway Utah. Four days of seminars, outdoor painting, talks, demos, food and fun rounded out the event. Heavy rain slowed us down Tuesday and Wednesday but glorious weather greeted us the remainder of the week. The event was co-sponsored and hosted by the Plein Air Painters of Utah group who acted as instructors and faculty, along with the Midway Art Association who acted as hosts, providing facilities and staffing. We can't wait until next year.

Jon Lee shows off his plein air painting to admirers at Plein Air Utah

A presentation in the Midway Town Hall at Plein Air Utah 2019

Roland Lee, Jim Lee, and Jon Lee at the Plein Air Utah Retreat and Rendezvous

Roland Lee, Jim Lee, and Jon Lee at the Plein Air Utah Retreat and Rendezvous

Roland Lee does a live watercolor demonstration

"Clouds Over the Great Arch" painting purchased by collectors

I was pleased when new collectors Chris and Cynthia Smizer chose one of my paintings for their home near Zion National Park. I'm always grateful for my wonderful art collectors.

"Clouds Over the Great Arch" Zion National Park by Roland Lee

Chris and Cynthia Smizer with "Clouds Over the Great Arch of Zion" by artist Roland Lee

Western Art Collector Magazine Features Roland Lee Painting

I was surprised and delighted to see my painting, "Patriarchal Order" a watercolor of the Court of the Patriarchs in Zion National Park used to promote the "State of the Art Utah" special section of the October 2019 issue of Western Art Collector Magazine.

Roland Lee painting "Patriarchal Order" in promotion for Western Art Collector magazine

Paintings Sold to New Art Collector

I was happy to have Betsy McChesney purchase a second painting for her personal art collection. Now she has both "Modena Crossing" and "Autumn Kiss" hanging in her home. I am grateful to have such great support from my collectors.

Artist Roland Lee with artist Betsy McChesney and Roland Lee painting "Autumn Kiss"

Modena Crossing Watercolor by Roland Lee

"Modena Crossing" 10 x 14 Watercolor by Roland Lee

The trains still run through, but this once-bustling southern Utah railroad town is now a ghost town.

Autumn Leaves and Winter Snow Workshop

Meg Mitragotri, from the Bay area, with her class paintings

Becky Whitney of A Passion for Painting Studio opened her classroom for a two-day Roland Lee watercolor workshop. We had eight wonderful artists attend the class. They included: Karen Bettilyon, Randy Peterson, Mark Gamet, Audrey Heaton, Meghana Mitragotri, Jackie Lahee, Cathy Kirby, and Karen. Our painting subjects included applying aerial perspective to snow scenes, along with wet into wet applications for multiple pigments in the sky and snow, and using negative painting on the trees. Their paintings were very good. We also worked on the same techniques as they applied to autumn foliage. I have posted my classroom demonstration paintings here.

Roland Lee workshop demonstration painting "Autumn at the Lake"
Collection Karen Bettilyon

Roland Lee workshop demonstration painting "Winter Snow"
Collection Randy Peterson

"Famous" Grafton Schoolhouse Painting Finds a New Home

A little plein air painting of the old Grafton Schoolhouse, which was featured in Plein Air magazine's "Postcards from the Road" page, has found a new home. Architect Eric Roberts from Nevada, an accomplished watercolorist in his own right, visited my studio and had to have the painting. You  can read about the painting in the September/October issue of Plein Air Magazine and in American Watercolor Weekly.

Grafton Schoolhouse plein air painting by Roland Lee

"River Boulders" Zion painting of Virgin River Sold to the Halls

Thanks to Ken, Dianne and Rebecca Hall who visited my gallery today and left with both a print and an original painting. They purchased "River Boulders" a painting of the Virgin River in Zion National Park and "Angels Above, Heaven Below" a giclee limited edition print of Zion. The paintings will decorate Ken's office as the director of MBA programs at Southern Utah University.

The Halls purchase Roland Lee paintings of Zion National Park

2018 10th Annual Zion Plein Air Invitational Art Show

24 artists just completed one week of outdoor painting, live demonstrations, Paint outs, Silent Auction and Wet Paint sale at Zion National Park. Celebrating its 10th year, this year was one of the best. Certainly the weather cooperated with warm sunny days, and brilliant fall colors. I was pleased to see several of my past collectors as well as meet some wonderful new collectors who purchased 8 of my paintings. Thanks to the Zion Forever Project and many volunteers who made the event possible. The proceeds benefitted the Zion Youth Initiative in its efforts to introduce the future generations to the beauty of our nation's special places. In addition to the collectors shown below I would also like to thank Amy Woodward for purchasing my live demo painting "Altar of Sacrifice," Peter Kirk for purchasing "Morning Light" and Steven and Jenny Goodwin for purchasing my studio painting "View from Scout Lookout."

Roland Lee with Carmen Snow who bought "Morning Backlight at Zion

Roland and Nellie Lee at the Zion Park Lodge paint out

Painting "Above Angels Landing" at Big Bend

Roland Lee at opening night of Zion Plein Air gala

Julie Saemisch purchased Roland Lee studio painting "Oak Creek Canyon" at Zion Plein Air

Matt Hafen purchased Roland Lee painting "Great White Throne"

Darci Carlson purchased Roland Lee painting "Sentinel Rising"

Roland Lee and his three daughters at the Zion Plein Air Gala

Ramon Martinez purchased Roland Lee painting "Cathedral Mountain'

Rodney Cruze purchased Roland Lee painting "Castle Dome" at Zion Plein Air paint out

90 people attended Roland Lee live painting demonstration of "Altar of Sacrifice" at the 2018 10th annual Zion Plein Air Art invitational

Plein Air Utah Retreat and Rendezvous

Father and son team, Roland Lee and Jim Lee at Plein Air Rendezvous & Retreat

About 80 artists and 20 more instructors joined together in Midway Utah for the 2018 Plein Air Utah Retreat and Rendezvous. Four days of daily instruction, demos, seminars and outdoor painting culminated in a fantastic "Wet Paint Show and Sale" at the Midway town hall. Jointly sponsored by the Midway Art Association and the Plein Air Painters of Utah, the event is now in its second year. I was one of the instructors and made a presentation on plein air painting and gave a watercolor painting demonstration.  It was great to rub shoulders with Utah's best painters and aspiring artists. We have so much talent here in Utah. It was fun to have my artist son Jim Lee join us as well.

Original photograph, Sketchbook pencil study, and finished watercolor painting demonstrated at the 2018 Plein Air Utah Retreat in Midway UT

Roland Lee Finished watercolor demonstration painting at Midway Utah

Maynard Dixon Country 2018 a Huge Success

Artists Roland Lee and Glenn Renell at the 2018 Maynard Dixon Country event in Mt. Carmel UT

Some of the nation's best artists got together for a week of learning and comeraderie at the Maynard Dixon Country 2018 event. They were treated to artists demonstrations, presentations, seminars, along with great food, music, and outdoor painting. Held annually at the Maynard Dixon property in Mount Carmel UT the event is sponsored by the Thunderbird Foundation.

Western Art and Architecture Magazine ad for Maynard Dixon Country

My painting "Desert Tempest" is featured in a new ad in "Western Art and Architecture Magazine" sponsored by the Thunderbird Foundation. Thanks to Paul and Susan Bingham for inviting me to participate in Maynard Dixon Country August 22-25 in Mt. Carmel, Utah.

August 2018 issue Western Art and Architecture Magazine