Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch...

We're enjoying a quiet weekend tending Clear Creek Family Ranch for my son Jon while he and his family travel to a mission homecoming. The weather is amazing, the scenery is tops, and the animals are really hungry! Gathered a couple dozen eggs and introduced ourselves to the new pig Felipe (snort). Hope you are having a great Saturday too.

Felipe and I hit it off right away. He was hungry, and I had food. He's a new addition to Clear Creek Family Ranch.

Had to fill up the big water trough. About 100 deer get their water here during the night too.

Domestic turkeys watching the chickens have a buffet of scraps. Literally thousands of wild turkeys roam the Clear Creek Family Ranch as well.

Farmer Roland out standing in his field. Just before repairing a busted fence with duct tape at Clear Creek Family Ranch. Too much fun.

Chicks and ducks and geese better scurry. We had tons of feathered friends waiting for the feed buckets this morning. It's nice to feel needed.

Wonderful Workshop with Great Artists

We just concluded the second day of my February workshop. Our subject was painting Utah scenes in Winter and we enjoyed exploring the wonders of painting snow in watercolor. It was a real treat to be with such excellent artists and share ideas together. Participants included Sally Valiton, Ridgecrest CA; Mark Rose, American Falls ID; Karen Bettilyon, Salt Lake City, UT; Karen Dorsey, Heber City UT; Connie Madsen, Salt Lake City UT; Shari Cannon, Eagle Mtn Ut, Pamela Jones, Big Pines CA, and Margo Cook, Salt Lake City UT.

A thumbnail value study and  class demonstration painting "Evergreen on the Rocks."

Studying the character of snow banks in the desert landscape.

New Paintings from Italy

I have been painting steadily since our trip to Italy and Europe. Many of the paintings are sold but I have completed a few new small paintings. All of these are available.  If you want to follow my studio work be sure to "like" my Roland Lee Facebook page.

"Tuscan Vineyards" 8 x 12 watercolor by Roland Lee

"Venice Canal" 8 x 12 watercolor by roland Lee

"Isle of Capri" 6 x 9 watercolor by Roland Lee

"Italian Entryway" 5 x 8 watercolor by Roland Lee

Collectors buy Plein Air painting

I was pleased to have new collectors Karen and David Ji stop by the studio recently to look at my work. They fell in love with a small painting I did during the Zion National Park Plein Air art event called "Roots and Branches." It was colorful autumn scene done in Pine Creek Canyon. Congratulations to the Ji's on your new Roland Lee painting.

Karen and Richard Ji pose with their new Roland Lee painting

You are invited! Paintings of Europe and Tuscany Show Starts Thursday Dec 11

Castle Neuschwanstein in Germany - Roland Lee watercolor painting

Tuscan Countryside in Italy - Roland Lee watercolor painting

A new show of paintings from my October trip to Germany, Switzerland, and Italy will open Thursday December 11 at the Roland Lee Gallery. I will have about 15 new original paintings on display. Please stop by the gallery anytime from 10am to 6pm Thursday Dec 11, 10am to 9pm Friday Dec 12 in conjunction with the St. George Art Walk, and 10am to 5pm Saturday Dec 13. Also on display will be paintings of southern Utah including Zion and Bryce Canyons. Everyone who stops by will receive a free box of 16 Christmas art cards featuring Roland Lee winter paintings. The Roland Lee Gallery is located next to the Pioneer Courthouse and Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum at 165 North 100 East #2, St. George UT 84770. 435-673-1988. www.rolandlee.com

Italian sheep grazing - original Watercolor by Roland Lee

Swiss window box - Original by Roland Lee

New Roland Lee Paintings from Europe Art Show December 11 - 31

You are invited to an art show and sale of new paintings from my recent trip to Italy, Germany, and Switzerland. I have been working on both small and large paintings which include the colorful medieval cities of Italy, the Tuscan countryside, Canals of Venice, Swiss Alps, and even the intriguing Neuschwanstein Castle of Germany. The paintings are at the framers now and will be ready to show beginning December 11 in my downtown studio. Stop by and take a look. Hours will be from 10am to 5pm weekdays. My studio is located at 165 North 100 East #2, St. George UT 84770. Here is a sample of what you'll see:

Roland Lee painting of Ponte Vecchio in Florence Italy

Roland Lee painting of town square in Lucca Italy

Roland Lee painting of Lucca Italy towers from the town wall

Roland Lee painting of Gondola in Venice Italy

Roland Lee Plein Air Paintings at the Zion National Park Plein Air Art Show

At the request of many of my students I am posting some of the plein air watercolor paintings completed at the Zion National Park Plein Air Art Festival.  Plus a little about my outdoor painting equipment and supplies. All these paintings were done on Arches 140 pound watercolor paper using mostly Daniel Smith watercolor paints. I usually paint smaller than 1/4 sheet when I paint outdoors. Most of the time I paint using a Sienna pochade box and tripod, or Anderson easel, but when I get tired I just sit in my favorite folding chair and hold my painting in my lap as I work. As always, I keep all my supplies in my trusty Toyota pickup and camper. It was ideal for this week's work in Zion. Loaded with art supplies, snack foods, ice cooler, and a nice bed for an afternoon nap, it is the ideal support vehicle for outdoor painting.

I am using a Sienna All Purpose Pochade box adapted perfectly for watercolors

My super-duper art support vehicle. A 1988 Toyota four-wheel drive pickup with 1992 Six Pac Super Mini camper. Perfect for a week painting outdoors in Zion National Park. 

A comfortable painting set-up with two Eldajon watercolor palettes on a Sienna easel that easily adjusts to my 6 foot 2 inch height.

Roland Lee Wins People's Choice Award at Zion National Park Plein Air Art Show

My wife, Nellie, shows off the certificate I won  for People's Choice at the Zion National Park Plein Air event

I was pleased to win the "People's Choice" award at the Zion National Park Plein Air Festival this year. What made it really cool is it also came with a $250 check. Yippee!

Zion National Park Plein Air Art Show Proves to be Most Successful Event Yet

Roland Lee plein air Painting of "Patriarch Falls at "Court of the Patriarchs" in Zion National Park

"Patriarch Falls" plein air painting at Zion National Park by Roland Lee

Huge crowds turned out to enjoy beautiful fall weather in the canyons at the Zion National Park Plein Air Art event last week. The 24 invited artists painted from dawn to dusk, did live demonstrations, and participated in "Quick finish" paintouts all week long. The week concluded with a "wet paint" sale of framed finished paintings in the Zion Nature Center. I was fortunate to sell most of my plein air paintings completed during the week, as well as four studio paintings exhibited concurrently at the Zion Human History Museum Art Show. Wow, it was exhausting but fun for the artists and the collectors.

Some people call this work! Painting in Pine Creek.

I had over 100 people show up for my watercolor painting demonstration on Tuesday afternoon. The demonstration painting was sold later at a silent auction event.

Over 100 people watched as I painted this painting. Each artist had about an hour to complete a painting, so it was pretty intense. It was purchased by Pam Frazier

Roland Lee works on his demonstration painting at the Zion Plein Air Festival

About 120 people watched at the Zion Human History Museum as artist roland Lee did a demonstration plein air watercolor painting

I am grateful to the many collectors who chose to purchase paintings during the week. 40% of all the sales went directly to the Zion National Park Foundation Youth Initiative Program which helps bring disadvantaged kids into the park. Several school groups were in the park during the week to watch the demos and experience the beauty of the land.

Former Zion National Park Superintendent Jock Whitworth has been a huge supporter of the event and has purchased many paintings

John Colosimo from Houston purchase my Saturday "Quick  Finish" painting

The Uhlingers from Monterey have attended the show for several years and again purchased one of my paintings

Jamie Coughtry from Ls Vegas purchased "Late in the Day" a plein air piece

Stanley Mogelson and Patti Riley from Florida purchased a painting of Court of the Patriarchs

Author Pam Frazier and her husband John from Sedona Arizona bought my demonstration painting "Somebody's Watching"

Zion National Park Plein Air Invitational Starts This Weekend

Roland Lee paints in Kolob Fingers area during Zion National Park Plein Air Art Invitational

The annual Zion National Park Plein Air Invitational Art Show kicks off this weekend. 24 artists are invited to paint outdoors in Zion National Park for a full week and participate in demonstrations and wet-paint sales. Check out the schedule of events. This is one of the biggest and most activity-filled plein air events in the nation, and of course, the scenery is unrivaled! I will do a live painting demonstration on Tuesday at the Zion Human History Museum, while other artists will demonstrate daily at different times. Plan to visit Zion during the week and find the artists working at different locations throughout the park. Or stop by on Saturday to see all 24 artists painting outdoors at the Zion Lodge, and bid on their paintings. All completed work will be framed and for sale at a wet-paint sale open to the public on Saturday November 8 at the Zion Nature Center.