Visiting the Art Museum with my Latino Friends

Kevin Jenkins interviewed me today for an article in the Spanish publication "El Sol." My two friends, Piedad and Victor, came to the St. George Art Museum to see my Canyon Country exhibit. Victor is an artist in woodworking, and Pili is an expert in the culinary arts from my favorite Mexican Restaurant "Irmita's." I am the volunteer director of the local "Daily Dose" English language program for Latinos and enjoy associating with many wonderful people at our Tuesday and Thursday evening classes. I consider every one the students and maestros my personal friends.

Frederick Dellenbaugh Painting of Zion in 1903

Above: Lyman Hafen, Executive director of Zion Natural History Association and Leslie Courtright, Curator of Collections at Zion National Park, stand beside the newly acquired painting by Frederick Dellenbaugh. On the wall behind is a painting of Zion by Roland Lee which is also a part of Zion's permanent collection.

The Zion National Park Foundation, of which I am a board member, was able to buy at auction a wonderful historically significant painting by Frederick Dellenbaugh this week. Through a generous donation from the Eccles Foundation we acquired the piece from an art and antique auction in Knoxville Tennessee. We in turn will donate the piece to the permanent collection of Zion National Park. We're especially excited because we are developing an art exhibit for the 100 year anniversary of Zion Park in 2009. The painting, completed about 1903, depicts Zion National Park from the canyon floor about where Springdale is today.



1903 painting by Frederick Dellenbaugh of Zion National Park

Two Paintings Juried into the Utah Watercolor Society Exhibit

Two of my paintings were selected for the Utah Watercolor Society Fall Juried Exhibit in Salt Lake City. The show runs through May 31, 2007.

Under the Rim at Bryce Canyon National Park

On the way over from Capitol Reef to Bryce Canyon National Park, we took the scenic route around Boulder Mountain, stopping for lunch in the pines, and for a quick dip in Calf Creek where I did a little more sketching. We arrived at Bryce in time to get some day's end photos at Sunset Point and do a little sketching at the overlook. We set up our tent in the Sunset Campground and connected with my brother in law, Professor Robert Eves from Southern Utah University, and their group of about 25 honor students from universities across America. They will be spending a week at Bryce, some having never even camped before.

On Saturday morning we introduced the group to Bryce with a stop on the rim, which nearly blew their collective minds. The view is staggering. But they really had wide eyes when we hiked them under the rim into "Wall Street". Although this is one of the most popular trails it was closed due to a massive rockfall sealing off the passage at the bottom. An example of erosion in action. But we scrambled over the rock fall where Dr. Eves and Gale Pollock, two of the most knowledgeable geologists on this area explained what created this amazing land. For me it was one of the best park experiences I've had.



SKETCHBOOK AT CAPITOL REEF

Lake Powell Sketching Trip

Okay, I admit it, this is more of a fishing trip than an art trip, but my sketch book will be with me at all times. We leave in the morning to hook up with my son Jon Lee and my brother in law Robert Eves at Lake Powell for a couple of days. Robert is bringing his bass boat which will put us in range of some great photo reference for paintings and some great fishing locations also. What could be better than that?

Sketching with my grandson Matthew Cherry

We flew down to Houston Texas yesterday to spend a few days with my daughter Jana, husband Phil, and grandkids Mattie and Katelyn. Today we took it easy and just enjoyed our time with the grandkids. We visited the Houston LDS Temple, a cool park, and old town Spring. I did a little sketching in my travel sketchbook and Mattie added a few drawings of his own. His drawings are pretty amazing for a three year old. He has his own school and art room in their house and the walls are plastered with his artistic creations. Jana knows what budding artists need--encouragement, art tools, and plenty of paper.

Lisa Huber Article in 15 Bytes eZine

Roland Lee in the studio. Photo courtesy of 15 Bytes eZine. Photo by Lisa Huber.

Thanks to Lisa Huber who did a good job profiling me for the Utah artists eZine "15 Bytes" which came online today. Shawn Rossiter has been publishing the eZine for some time and has given widespread and much-needed coverage to the burgeoning Utah arts scene. The front page article, "Roland Lee: A Love of Art and Teaching" in the May 2007 issue, includes about six photos showing me in my studio and my work at the current St. George Art Museum show, "Roland Lee's Canyon Country Paintings."

View complete article

Sketching at our Cabin at Zion National Park

Following the Zion National Park dedication ceremony and speech by Laura Bush we drove on up the mountain to our cabin at East Zion. After the rush of security and crowd at Zion we enjoyed the complete privacy and solitude of our hideway in the Ponderosas. Following a little clean-up work on the cabin we kicked back and relaxed.

My favorite pastime is sitting in my Sky Chair and sketching in my sketchbook. Nellie lies in the lounge chair and reads. Aaah, perfect weather, peace, and quiet--this is the life!

A Visit with the First Lady Laura Bush

(Top photo)I had a chance to chat with presidential First Lady Laura Bush for a few minutes following her speech at Zion National Park. What did we talk about? Hiking in Zion. (Photo below) Nellie and I in front of the Zion Nature Center prior to the ceremony. Photos by Nick Jorgensen

Yesterday I had an unusual opportunity to meet and visit with Laura Bush. She visited Zion National Park along with Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne to speak at the re-dedication of the Zion Nature Center. As a board member of Zion Natural History Association, I was invited to attend the ceremony along with my wife Nellie and about 100 others. The ZNHA helps finance the Zion Junior Ranger Program, the oldest Junior Ranger Program in the nation, which is housed in the Zion Nature Center.

Mrs. Bush gave a stirring speech (see video clip)supporting the national park system and announced she and some friends would be spending this week hiking the trails of Zion. I had a chance to chat with Mrs. Bush for a few minutes following the event and was impressed with her abilities to fill the role of the first lady. She is a very eloquent and classy person. We were however somewhat uneasy and a little shocked at the amount of security and media presence involved. Yikes! We were almost relieved to finally leave. Afterward we drove on up to our cabin on the east rim of Zion and spent the night under a full moon in perfect silence and privacy knowing that somewhere down below in the canyon a cadre of security people were hovering over the First Lady of the United States of America.

Painting Demonstration for Dixie State College Watercolor Class

Part of a powerpoint presentation I showed to the students at Dixie State College.

Last night I gave a short presentation to the watercolor class at Dixie State College. I try to say "yes" as often as possible to invitations to speak because I want to share what I love about art with as many people as possible. But it's great to spend time with young artists, because they are so full of enthusism and eagerness. This group was very involved in the discussion and had excellent questions. My subject was how to use negative painting (or back painting) to convey light and shadow in the landscape. Once again, however, they seemed to be most amazed at my sketchbooks.