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.

St. George Art Museum Show Opens

Eleven of my watercolor paintings will be on display through May 25, 2012 at the St. George Art Museum as part of their "Collections from the Collection" show. The paintings are all from the museum's permanent collection and includes one of the first watercolors I ever sold in 1980. Most of the paintings were purchased by the City of St. George for the permanent collection over the past 31 years, while a few were donated by collectors. Over 150 paintings are on exhibit creating a wonderful retrospective show. Gallery hours are 10am to 5pm Monday through Saturday. The address is 47 East 200 North, St. George, UT.

Drawing Workshop in Salt Lake City

Margo Cook organized a wonderful drawing workshop in Salt Lake City that drew in 15 attendees in January. We enjoyed two days of drawing together and learning the art of seeing values. I will hold another drawing workshop in St. George, UT January 26-27, 2012 at a Passion for Painting studio.
Workshop participants included: Joanne Hamm, Mary Ann Nelson, Karen Cheng, Laurel Finlinson, Heidi Vriens, Joan Reynolds, Shari Cannon, Marjorie Anderson, Bessann Swanson, Dixie Stoddard, Joan Bodell, Colleen Thompson, Margo Cook, Mark Rose, and Margaret Pugsley.

Record Sales Raise Funds for the Zion National Park Foundation Youth Initiative

Once again, I am grateful to the collectors from many states who selected my paintings to become part of their collections. The show was nearly a sell-out and helped raise a significant amount for the Zion National Park Foundation Youth Initiative. Here are a few more photos from the plein Air Invitational at Zion National Park. See more photos on my website.

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Uhlinger of Monterey CA with their plein air painting "Dry Creek - East Zion."

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Kirk purchased "Golden Leaves and Cliffs"

The John and Melissa Clark family with their new plein air painting "Mount Abraham - Court of the Patriarchs"


Pastel artist Arlene Braithwaite (shown painting by the Virgin River) went home with my painting "Memories of Moran" (above)

Patricia Pospahala was with a bus tour that stopped briefly at the Human History Museum art exhibit, but it was long enough for her to purchase "Canyon Serenity" and have it shipped to her home in Chester, Virginia.

"Beneath the Watchman" is a studio painting bought by Bryan Adams from the Human History Museum exhibit during the event

Also thanks to John Wright, from Las Vegas for his purchase of "Below Angel's Landing." I was not present when he bought the painting, so I was not able to get his photograph, but I appreciate it just as much. I am also appreciative to Zions Bank for their purchase award of "Reds and Golds" painted along the Virgin River near Temple of Sinawava. I am honored that it will be added to their extensive corporate art collection.

Week-long Paint out in Zion a Success

Working on my "quick draw" painting at Zion National Park

Success! After a week painting en plein air at Zion National Park I'd have to call the whole event a rousing success. The week began on Monday with 24 invited artists from all over the nation setting up in places where Thomas Moran actually painted during an early exploration trip through the Zion area. Each day consisted of outdoor painting, a workshop, a demonstration and a seminar in the evening for both artists and the hundreds of attendees. The week concluded with a "Quick-draw" where the artists all furiously painted a complete piece in 90 minutes while onlookers watched intently. This was followed by a live auction, and finally a gala "wet paint" sale Saturday of all the paintings completed during the week. I must say I was quite tired at the end of the week, but thrilled to spend that much time working outdoors in my favorite place on earth. 40% of all sales went to the Youth and Art Initiative for the Zion National Park Foundation so everyone benefited. As it turns out I was the top selling artist, followed by John Cogan, Joshua Been, and William Scott Jennings. I'd like to thank all the collectors who came out to support us as well as those businesses issuing purchase awards. I was pleased to receive a purchase award from Zion's Bank.

My quick-draw painting underway

My quick draw painting "Zion at Noon" was purchased by Nanette Rosevear of Daytona Beach Florida

Plein Air watercolor problems. When I started this painting early one morning the air was so cold my watercolor paints froze!


"Sentinel in the Morning" was purchased by Bob and Luisa Geiger of Azusa CA


"East Zion Arch" was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. David Webster