"Call of the Canyon - Zion National Park" PBS Utah Documentary Features Roland Lee

 A wonderful film crew from PBS Utah spent the last two days filming me at my cabin at East Zion, and plein air painting in Zion National Park for a new documentary "Call of the Canyon - Zion National Park". The documentary will address how artists respond to the National Park. Watch for the documentary on tv at a future date.

Roland Lee paints in Zion National Park while being filmed for a new documentary by PBS Utah

Roland Lee painting en plein air in Zion National Park

Roland Lee being interviewed by PBS Utah for Zion Park documentary

Interview with Roland Lee at Zion National Park

Storyteller and musician Sam Payne interviews Roland Lee while he paints beneath the Sentinel in Zion National Park. Broadcast on "The Apple Seed" radio program sponsored by BYU Radio. Roland talks about his love for Zion and his experiences there. The interview was part of the stage production at Zion O. C, Tanner amphitheater during Zion's centennial year.
The Apple Seed Radio Show: Click to listen

Roland Lee - Shooting film for Zion Sanctuary, The Story of Zion Canyon

Roland Lee Speed Painting

I've started releasing a few time lapse videos of my paintings. It's kind of fun to watch several hours compressed into 40 seconds -- great for people with short attention spans. Take a look at this one of a beautiful desert sunset. "Sand Hollow Sunset"
Click here to view video

"Sand Hollow Sunset" Watercolor painting by Roland Lee
Watch a short 40 second time-lapse video

Zion National Park Plein Air Event 3 minute Video

Youtube video for Zion National Park Plein Air Art Invitational. Features plein air artist Roland Lee and others describing their participation in the 2015 event. Click here to see 3 minute video

Roland Lee paints during 2016 Zion National Park Plein Air Art Invitational

Roland Lee interviewed for film "Sanctuary, Story of Zion"

Poster for "Sanctuary, The Story of Zion"

A nice interview with Roland Lee appears in the new stage production of "Zion, the Story of Zion National Park" being presented this summer at the OC Tanner Amphitheater at Zion. The show, written by talented musician and storyteller Sam Payne combines live music, storytelling, and video projection to trace Zion's history and relationship to its people over the centuries.  Producer Steve Lemmon and musical director Ryan Tilby teamed up with Payne and Nic Chamberlain to produce this wonderful show. Read a review here from the Desert Pulse.

Photo of OC Tanner Amphitheater production "Sanctuary, the story of Zion" presented the summer of 2016. Photo by Christina Gregg

Roland Lee interviewed for film "Sanctuary, Story of Zion"

Poster for "Sanctuary, The Story of Zion"

A nice interview with Roland Lee appears in the new stage production of "Zion, the Story of Zion National Park" being presented this summer at the OC Tanner Amphitheater at Zion. The show, written by talented musician and storyteller Sam Payne combines live music, storytelling, and video projection to trace Zion's history and relationship to its people over the centuries.  Producer Steve Lemmon and musical director Ryan Tilby teamed up with Payne and Nic Chamberlain to produce this wonderful show. Read a review here from the Desert Pulse.

Photo of OC Tanner Amphitheater production "Sanctuary, the story of Zion" presented the summer of 2016. Photo by Christina Gregg

Roland Lee 3-min Video Painting Bryce Canyon

In honor of the National Parks System Centennial celebration this year, I would like to share a few thoughts about the Parks, and what they mean to me. This is a new painting that is on exhibit at the St. George Art Museum called "Navajo Loop Trail - Bryce Canyon." Watch the short 3-minute video.

Roland Lee plein air painting in Bryce Canyon National Park

Southern Utah Art Guild Paint Out at the Red Mountain in Ivins, UT

Me with my finished painting

I'm always looking for a good excuse to paint outdoors, so when the Southern Utah Art Guild announced a plein air paint-out near Snow Canyon I jumped at the chance. A few faithful members gathered at the top of 300 East, which stops at the foot of Ivin's big Red Mountain. I was a little late due to Saturday morning chores, and some of the artists including Royden Card and David Hansen had already  got a good jump on their paintings. Art event guru Bobbi Wankier and SUAG president Michael Foot were there cheering us on and snapping photos of the artists at work. Bobbi's husband Erric Wankier worked on an amazing pastel painting while I worked in watercolor.

Roland Lee 5 x 8 watercolor study of the Red cliffs done on location during the paint out

She decided to shoot a short video of me painting for publicity purposes. Ever the teacher, I decided to do a step-by-step instructional video as long as I had a willing camera person. So I proceeded to explain how I chose the view, sketched out the scene and built up the glazes in succeeding values to the finished piece. Of course the painting was small, and I painted a little faster than usual so as not to bore the viewers. But it turned out okay. We'll probably post the video on YouTube at some point.

Erric Wankier with his pastel painting of the cliffs

Roland Lee mini video How to paint Rock and Snow in Zion National Park

In my last watercolor workshop I demonstrated how to plan and paint a watercolor painting of a snow scene in Zion National Park. One of my students shot a little video during the process. It's only 8 minutes long, but you might like to take a look. We've been shooting a few more clips lately of some of the demos, so a few more will be added as time goes on. Patty Bingham from the art department at Dixie State College will be shooting some footage of my Drawing Workshop this Friday, so maybe we can post a little of that as well.

Click here to see "Rock and Snow, Watercolor Demonstration by Roland Lee" on Youtube