New Visions Art Show

It was fun to join with about 20 other artists for the annual "New Visions" Art Show. Sponsored by Jane Juber and the Authentique Gallery the show enables artists and collectors to meet together. A special part of the event is the second-day quick-draw event. Each artist completes a demonstration painting from start to finish while collectors enjoy walking around and watching their favorite artist work. At the end of the event the demonstration paintings are sold by silent auction. Thanks to all the collectors who came, and especially those who purchased my paintings. See you at the next show.

Painting Southern Utah's Red Rocks

painting Southern Utah's red rocks was the subject of my latest watercolor workshop in St. George, Utah. 12 very good artists signed up for the two-day class which concentrated on using the unique characteristics of watercolor to define the shape and form of the red cliffs.

This demonstration showed how to establish texture and variety in the rock surface by using "scumbling." As initial glazes are painted, the artist lays a loaded round brush on its side and lightly brushes the butt end near the ferule across the paper surface. The courseness of the paper creates the textural effects which are perfect for weathered rock surfaces.

In the next class demonstration we explore a few more techniques to define the mass and form. As the light side of the rock turns to the core shadow side both the value and temperature of the color changes. The shadow is darkest at the turn and becomes lighter and warmer as reflected light bounces onto the core shadow side. The Darkest values and coolest colors happen in the cast shadows which pick up light from the blue sky.

Drawing Workshop for Arizona High Schools

About 40 students from two high schools gathered for the workshop

I was invited to teach a drawing workshop to students at Centennial Park Arizona last week. My friends, LuAnn Williams, art teacher at El Capitan High School and Daniel Zitting, art teacher at Centennial Park High School combined their art students for the special workshop. About 40 talented and enthusiastic students showed up with their sketch pads and pencils and were eager to go to work. We started with a powerpoint at the school, where I talked to them about some drawing fundamentals. Then we boarded a school bus for a field trip to Maxwell Park at the foot of some spectacular red cliffs. A rain storm let loose as we were unloading, but it didn't deter the students who sought shelter in an alcove and started sketching anyway. The rain veiled the cliffs but added drama to the afternoon.
A heavy rainstorm veiled the beautiful cliffs at Maxwell Park
Tucked safely in an alcove the students went to work on their drawings
Daniel Zitting (left) and LuAnn Williams (right with student) are both fine artists as well as great teachers

St. George Art Festival First Place Award

My new 20-foot long tent served us well this year

"Sinawava Silence" received two First Place awards at this years show
We enjoyed two days of sunny St. George weather Easter weekend at the St. George Art Festival. Over 110 artists participated and I was fortunate to receive both First Place in Watercolor and First Place in the Two-dimensional art categories. This was the first time I exhibited the award-winning painting "Sinawava Silence," a pastoral river scene in Zion National Park. We also sold several other originals, lots of prints, and all the art cards we had with us. So it was a successful event all around. What is the most fun, is seeing previous collectors and many friends from past shows, plus all my delightful kids and grandkids were there to help me. Literally thousands of people flock to the show annually which is held in the St. George Town Square.
My three granddaughters sketching at my booth

My friend, Randy Paul, and I pose in front of my award winning painting

Painting Snow in Watercolor

Demonstrating snow on spruces - photo by John Mangels

Painting snow and winter scenes was the topic of our March watercolor workshop in St. George. Held in the studio at "A Passion for Painting" we discussed one of my favorite subjects for watercolor. Snow provides a wonderful opportunity to explore wet-into-wet techniques and the unique characteristic that watercolor exhibits as pigment mingles and flows on wet paper. The first day's subject was snow on spruce trees and rocks. The second day we explored how snow looks on buildings and structures. Check out the workshop page of my website for more watercolor classes.

St. George Art Walk

Every few months the St. George downtown art galleries hold a friday evening "Art Walk". Luckily the weather this time was absolutely fantastic so the turnout was large. I was selected to do a demonstration painting at the Mission Gallery from 6 to 9pm and enjoyed describing the painting process and visiting with patrons as I worked on a watercolor snow scene.

Art Talk to National Advisory Council Spouses

The National Advisory council of Dixie State College met today and I was invited to entertain the spouses with a talk about my artwork. Held in the Eccles Art Museum, it was a perfect opportunity to show a few of my newest paintings and discuss the unique aspects of watercolor. The appreciative audience had lots of questions which I was happy to answer. They were most interested in my travel sketchbooks and I explained how I use my 15-minute sketches done on location to work up larger studio paintings. Two of my paintings are on display in the Eccles Gallery as part of the Sears Invitational.
"Sinawava Silence" 22 x 30 watercolor by Roland Lee

Two paintings in Sears Invitational

If you are in the St. George Ut area and want to see a terrific art show, stop by the Eccles Fine arts Gallery on the Dixie State College campus. Hundreds of paintings are on exhibit in the annual Robert and Peggy Sears Invitational Art Show show which features invited artists from all over the country. I am pleased to have two new watercolor paintings on exhibit. Both are full-sheet paintings done in the transparent style and are available for sale with a portion of the proceeds benefitting the College museum. The paintings are: "Where the River Turns" a painting of Zion National park, and "Where Two Streams Meet" depicting the confluence of the Santa Clara and Virgin Rivers south of St. George. Jeremy Winborg received the best of show and purchase award at this year's event.

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

Drawing Workshop

Drawing is fundamental to all forms of art. And yet, some artists shy away from it. This workshop helped us focus on why drawing is important, how to capture the essence of a subject quickly, and how to see values. A great group of artists joined for two days of intensive drawing which included both studio and outdoor sketching. Our subjects ranged from flowers and shrubs, to buildings and structures, and finally to figures. Thanks to all the great artists who participated: Mark Rose, John Mangels, Carol Spriggs, Gianna Dryer, Sharon Cannon, and Barbara Marchant. (photos by John Mangels)
Each of used our sketchbooks and pencil to capture this old St. George grainery building with a 10 minute sketch.