Roland eating olen bolen at the Tholen Molen

Okay we just had to shoot this picture of Roland's olen bolen (a dutch pastry) at the Tholen Molen (windmill). We came halfway around the world just to do it.

Jim, Barb and Nellie on Kerkstraad (Church Street) in Tholen where their ancestors lived.

When in Rome...Nellie and Tricia take to the bikes just like the Dutch do. The Dutch people ride bikes everywhere, in any dress, in any weather. It actually is a great idea.

We celebrated Nellie's birthday with four orange cupcakes decorated with the Dutch flag. Orange is the predominant color here thanks to the soccer team and the Queen.

We bid farewell to Jim and Barbie at the Roosendaal train station. We are illegaly parked in a bus stop, and Right after we shot the picture the police came and told me to move. I was lucky to not get busted. We then picked up Nellie's sisters Tricia and Barbara who will be our travelling companions for the next week.

I've got lots of sketchbook drawings from Zeeland and we've enjoyed our time here. We are leaving today however for our next week in upper Holland near Deventer. Each day is a new adventure and we don't know if we'll find the internet again, so bye for now.

Now Where Did I park that Bicycle?

I can't even remember where I parked my car at the grocery store. This would be the ultimate nightmare for me trying to remember where I parked my bike. This is the crazy scene at the Roosendaal train station where we went to meet up with my son Jim and his wife Barbie coming from Paris. We'll spend the next few days together as Nellie and Jim try to find out about their Dutch ancestry.

We found the street in Tholen where one of their Dutch ancestors lived in the 1700's. The family continued to live in the same area of Zeeland for many generations. Tomorrow it's off to Middleburg where they will continue their search at the Municipal Archives.I plan to do some gallery hopping and sketching in the wonderful old town.

You want Pictures of Windmills?

They call them Molen in the Netherlands, and they are pretty much everywhere. Most are out of use but treasured nonetheless. Today the huge modern propeller windmills seem to have taken over the actual work and changed the skyline as well. The photo above is of a windmill in St. Annaland in Zeeland.

this windmill is in the town of Tholen where we are staying. These things are a lot bigger than you think.

This pretty Windmill at Oud Vossemeer really stands out above the rooftops.

This is my favorite windmill over in St. Maartensdijk Zeeland. I'm going to go back and study it a little more so I can paint it.

Driving a Picasso to see the Dutch Masters

Yes, we are in fact driving a Citroen Picasso in Holland. It should have probably been a Van Gogh, but oh well. We are now in Tholen, Zeeland, Netherlands staying in "The Waterfront" a wonderful B&B right on the the bay in the town of Tholen. We strolled through the old town today stopping at a couple of great art galleries. At Atelier 28 we met modern "Dutch Masters" Francesco Antonietti and Andrea Cook. Neither are native Dutch, be we enjoyed talking art and purchased one of Francesco's beautiful original hand etchings of a windmill. Inspired by the place we went windmill hunting and I shot photos of four different kinds of windmills trying to study their structure. Of course you will be seeing some windmills in my paintings soon!

Above: Our very own Picasso! Below: Artist Andrea Cook of Atelier 28 poses with Nellie in the studio where we purchased an etching by Francesco Antonietti.


Left: I just had to include this photo of a "Tech Bike" parked outside of a tiny computer store in Tholen. Everyone rides bikes here but this was the most "high tech." (Click on photo to see all the features)

On the Road Again...England

Tough work but somebody has to do it! Sketching at Penshurst

Sorry I have not posted for a week. Nellie and I hit the road last Saturday and have not been able to access the internet since. But that is good, because it means I have been walking with my sketchbook in the English countryside of Kent. Wow, what a green and beautiful place. We have explored several castles and lots of wonderful little villages just oozing old English charm. Watch for web updates later and some pictures from my sketchbook. Ta Ta for now.

Above: Nellie in the little town of Edenbridge where we shopped each day. Left: The Hever Hotel near Hever Castle, our home for a week compliments of my son Jim and his wife Barbara.

Santa Clara Art Show a Success

In conjunction with the dedication of the new Santa Clara Town Hall, a special art show was held featuring the artists from the Mission Gallery and Authentique Gallery.Most of the artists were present and the event was well attended with many pieces sold. My good friends Ev and Jim Goodman purchased my painting "Zion's River" and the Jacobson's purchased "Sunlight in Pine Creek."

My dear friend Julie Rogers displayed her amazing pastels and also did a wonderful oil portrait study of Allison Tenney. Julie won best of show at last year's Women Artists of America show.

Annette Everett working on a small sculpture. She sculpted the main monument outside the Town Hall, while my friend Randy Paul sculpted the water feature. Annette also won the Women Artists of America Show this year. It's fun to be around these fantastic artists.

Randy Paul in front of the water feature he created incorporating Everett's sculpture.

New painting of Whitney Store in Kirtland Ohio

I have been working on this painting for a long time. I first conceived the idea during a trip to Kirtland with the Sons of Utah Pioneers group. One of my ancestors, James Henry Rollins and his two sisters were adopted by their uncle A. Sidney Gilbert who was a partner with Newel K. Whitney in this store. Henry learned the trade from his uncle and worked in the store as a young man. The store has been reconstructed by the LDS Church along with other historic buildings and the whole town is now a visitor's center.

Award of Merit at Utah Watercolor Society Spring Show

I was notified today that I had recieve the Jerry's Artarama Award of Merit and $100 prize from the Spring Exhibit of the Utah Watercolor Society. I received the award for "Stone Buttress" a painting of Kolob Canyons in Zion National Park. A second painting, "Banjo Man" was also juried into the exhibit. The show runs through June 16 at Palmer's Gallery in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Wisconsin Artist Visits the Studio

Today I had a visit from Joan Stackpole, an accomplished artist from Monroe, Wisconsin. Joan and her husband Brian came by the studio with friends J. Ramsey and Kathie Gibson from Cedar City. Joan loved my Painting of Zion national Park which just came off the board and was waiting for my framer, Guadalupe Rodriguez from Stylecraft Frames in Salt Lake City to pick it up. Before it got out of the studio Joan wanted a picture with me and the painting. I'm not sure she wanted me in it, but she sure liked the painting.

Roland Lee Landscape Painting of Zion National Park spotlighted in Paint the Parks Publicity Materials

I was happy to see my painting "Winter in Zion" used to illustrate the 2008 Paint the Parks Competition publicity materials (see ad below). I was fortunate to have two of my watercolor original paintings selected for the Paint the Parks traveling exhbition currently touring America through 2008. The show features paintings of America's national Parks and is presently on display at Grand Canyon National Park through May 15 and will open at the St. George Art Museum June 6. Of course my selected paintings are both of Zion National Park.

Click for Paint the Parks 2008 Traveling Exhibition Schedule

Click for complete Paint the Parks entry information for 2008-09