Eyes of the Beholder:
Thirty Years of Painting Zion National Park
By Roland Lee
Reproduced from the book:
A Century of Sanctuary: The Art of Zion National Park
Published by Zion Natural History Association
Foreward by Robert Redford, Edited by Pamela Frazier
144 pages, full-color
150 images
$24.95 Softbound
$34.95 Hardbound
available online from ZNHA: www.zionpark.org
Left: “Zion’s Great Arch”
By Roland Lee, 2007
Transparent Watercolor on Arches Watercolor paper
Image 19 x 24
Private collection of S. Harward
The weather can change rapidly in Zion National
Park, as anyone knows who has been caught in the “Narrows”
or found themselves exposed on a sandstone ridge when the heavens suddenly
burst. But on this particular day I was secure at our family cabin,
situated cozily in a five-acre stand of ancient Ponderosas on Zion’s
east boundary. Perched in my favorite spot (a canvas sky-chair hanging
from a gnarly cedar tree), I let my thoughts drift into the vaults of
memory.
The first watercolor I ever painted was done at a workshop in Zion National
Park. I vividly remember deciding at the conclusion of that workshop
that I was going to pursue this medium and see where it took me. What
a ride! That was thirty years ago; in the intervening years I’ve
sold over 1,000 original watercolors and Zion forms the subject for
many of them. Banks, universities, museums, offices, and living rooms
have become permanent homes for these paintings. I like to think that
those who look at them each day see them as I do—personal interpretations
of a remarkable place with a profound impact on the people who find
sanctuary there. It can change lives. It changed mine.
My reflections drifted back to the now as a stiff breeze tugged at the
pages of my sketchbook. I closed the book on a half-finished pencil
sketch and walked out to the point. Scanning the gulch below, my eyes
moved to the hazy ridges of Cedar Mountain many miles to the north.
There I saw the rainy sky already veiling the landscape in soft sheets
of gray. A gully-washer was headed my way.
If my wife Nellie had been there she would certainly be dashing around,
closing things up and coaxing me to get down to the paved roads before
the rains came. But she was off visiting grandkids. This time I was
alone and I wanted it to rain.
But the clouds that seemed so threatening a few minutes ago silently
drifted on, leaving patches of blue between the pine branches. “Imposters!”
I thought to myself. “Much ado about nothing.” And with
that, I decided to pack up and head back down the mountain. As I cleared
the East Entrance Ranger Station I noticed a few drops. Big ones! The
clouds opened fully as I approached Checkerboard Mesa, delivering the
heaviest deluge I had ever seen—not in drops, but bucket loads.
I pulled the truck over and shut off the ignition, measuring my good
fortune. For me, the best time to be in Zion National Park is not during
good weather, but during bad weather, because that’s when the
true drama begins.
I watched the desert turn into a fairyland of waterfalls and rivers.
I saw the forces of nature at work, witnessed the ongoing creation of
Zion Canyon by the Master Artist. It was too wet to use my camera or
a sketchbook or paints. I was left to record the experience in the best
way possible—with my eyes and heart.
When the rain subsided my senses were wide open to the world around
me. The smell of crisp, wet air and fresh rain washed over me like an
ocean wave. Droplets sparkled like little jewels on the pine needles
and standing pools blinded me with reflected sunlight. Even though the
rain had stopped, the show continued for hours with waterfalls cascading
down cliff faces. How could a person be this fortunate? I felt I was
the luckiest person alive at that moment.
In truth, I have had many moments like that in my life. Moments when
I had to stop, look around, and say, “Is anyone else looking at
this?” And I know it’s not luck. It is simply the reward
Nature offers for being aware of the landscape around us.
As an artist, I have taken my sketchbooks all over the world. I’ve
never been to a place I didn’t like. The world is truly full of
magnificent places. But some places keep calling you home. For me, that
place is Zion National Park. I will never stop exploring its canyons,
looking for that special view, and marveling as I witness the Master
Creator painting with water, wind, and time.
 A
Conversation with Roland Lee
Interviewed by Editor Pamela Frazier
Many people think that the life of an artist is all play and no
work. Is that true for you? What is easiest? What is hardest?
In some respects that is true, for my work is my pleasure. Not a single
day goes by that I don’t want to sketch or paint. It is a drive
that is hard to explain. I have never had one day of artist block in
my life. My head is spinning with paintings and every new scene that
passes in front of me longs to be painted.
In creating paintings an artist shares something of himself/herself
with others. Those that respond to the paintings are usually feeling
the same feeling the artist felt. All art deals with the sharing of
human emotions. There is a giver and a receiver—the artist who
creates or performs, and the viewer who watches and responds. When it
clicks, both equally share the experience along the feelings—creating
a kind of bond between them. I feel that bond with many of my collectors.
I catalog every painting and enjoy both meeting my collectors and learning
how my paintings have become a part of their lives. Their friendship
has been a rich part of my life.
The thing I dislike the most is when my painting time is interrupted.
For instance when I have to stop and deal with the business end of things
such as answering emails, shipping paintings, paying bills, or choosing
frames. Those are things that must be done in order keep the business
going, but they get in the way of making art. The sooner I get back
to painting the happier I am. If I don’t paint for several days
I get downright surly. Just ask my wife.
What motivates you to do what you do?
Like all who enjoy the outdoors, I want to see what’s around the
next bend in the trail, or over the next ridge, or in the next canyon.
I want to feel the stiff morning breeze in Zion canyon and the icy rush
of the Virgin River on my bare feet. I want to bask in the warm rays
of the midday sun and watch its final rays light up the sandstone at
day’s end. I want to be there. That is what drives me, and that
is why I am a landscape painter.
What my wife doesn’t understand is how I can stop and stare in
awe at the same spot in the same canyon at the same time of day over
and over again. The explanation is simple. I call it “filling
the bucket.” The bucket is filled when I am outdoors in nature.
When I paint, the bucket is emptied and it needs to be re-filled again.
And so it goes. I don’t think the process is going to stop any
time soon.
Zion has been the subject matter in many of your paintings. What
is it about Zion as a subject that captivates you and holds your interest
enough to paint it over and over again?
Of course Zion has captured the fancy of artists since long before it
became a National Park. People like Thomas Moran, Maynard Dixon, Gunnar
Widforss and others succumbed to its beauty. Their images were not attempts
to capture a literal geological recording of what they saw. Theirs was
motivated merely by a response to the majesty and intrigue they felt
while in the spell of the place. The paintings they portrayed captured
the imagination and feeling of what Zion is. I am walking in their footsteps--caught
by the same spell and driven by the same motivation. I want people to
see what I see with my eyes and feel what I feel with my heart while
I am in Zion.
How does an artist see Zion differently than the average visitor?
My wife constantly claims that I see things differently than others.
That may be true because as an artist, I don’t look at things
as objects. I see the interplay of light and shadow. I see a series
of tableaus or dramas that are played out at each turn. With every change
of weather, with every cloud that drifts overhead, with every passing
minute a new scene takes the stage. New characters take the lead role
while others pass behind the curtain. One of my paintings touring nationally
this year with the “Paint the Parks Top 100” show is called
“Five Minutes of Fame.” It depicts a fairly non-descript
cliff in Zion that visitors see daily but I doubt ever really notice.
It certainly doesn’t call attention to itself. But for just five
minutes on a particular day, the bright spotlight from the setting sun
lighted up its peak with a brilliant glow that gave it a moment of glorious
fame.
That is how I see Zion. It’s not about things. It’s about
positive and negative shapes, areas of light and shadow, and reflected
light. It’s about rich textures and subtle colors--all found in
the elements of art. Nature uses these elements and paints daily with
a very full palette and really good tools. By studying the landscape
we learn to see how nature paints its vistas. By looking closely we
discover its secrets.
I am sure there are some visitors to Zion who only see it as a big pile
of rocks. Or maybe as a destination to cross off their lists once they’ve
done it. But I guarantee that anyone who has stopped to sketch or paint
their experiences sees Zion with a different set of eyes.
How has Zion changed or shaped your life?
I was drawn to Zion National Park as a teenager. My wife and I courted
there. It caused us to move from California to Utah. We have raised
our children and our grandchildren under its spell. It has become my
playground and my art studio. And it is my haven of peace in a hectic
world. When I get discouraged, or need to regenerate my soul, I go to
Zion National Park. Its canyons and cliffs heal me with soothing sights
and sounds. My time at our cabin on the East Rim is among my most cherished
moments. Many people have places where they go to find solace. For me
that place is Zion.
Do you have any ulterior motives—something you wish to achieve
with your art?
My goal as an artist is to convey a feeling of peace to others. None
of my paintings ever conger up negative emotions or depict the baser
side of our world. We have enough of that dished out daily in the media.
I hope to share a message of tranquility and wonder for the glorious
natural world that we are a temporary part of and help others feel a
greater respect for the Master Creator. Hopefully my paintings of Zion
accomplish that goal.
As I look back on the others who have painted Zion’s landscapes
over the years I would feel honored beyond measure to be mentioned in
their company. Some time back, the Maynard Dixon property at Carmel
Junction in East Zion came on the market. It had also been the home
of the revered watercolorist Milford Zornes. My private dreams pictured
me living there and carrying on the Zion artist legacy. That never happened
for me, but today a wonderful art museum on that property brings dozens
of the world’s best artists to paint Zion each year. I think Maynard
Dixon would be surprised at the crowds, but pleased that artists today
still find Zion a worthy subject.
In a recent introduction I was called “The Painter of Zion.”
I like that. Of course I paint other subjects as well, but when the
history books are written I would feel grateful to be listed with those
whose art helped perpetuate the grandeur and intimacies of Zion National
Park.
Describe your process
 I
frequently begin my paintings by doing on-location sketchbook pencil
studies. I often use Watson-Guptill hardbound sketchbooks which hold
up well to the rigors of travel and prevent the drawings from smudging.
These sketchbook drawings combined with written notations not only provide
an immediate outlet for recording my feelings and experiences,
but also serve as invaluable resources back in the studio when working
up finished paintings. In addition i carry a small pocket digital camera
for detail reference.
I use a soft 6B or 8B pencil for most of my on-location drawings because
they provide a good range of dark tonal values well suited to my chiaroscuro
technique. In this drawing of the Great Arch of Zion, I am captivated
by the rich sunlight hitting the arch face, casting a strong shadow
under the arch and across the valley below. My sketch captures the reflected
light on the underside of the arch as well as the sunlight striking
the tops of the trees.
Back in the studio, I prepare my painting surface by soaking a sheet
of 300lb. Arches® cold pressed watercolor paper in the tub, and
stapling it to a sheet of Upson® board or Incredible Art Board ®.
When dry the paper becomes taut like a drum-head. I then use masking
tape or artists tape to cover the stapled area leaving a clean white
border around the finished painting.i prefer Daniel Smith brand watercolor
tube paints in a variety of colors. I am especially fond of the Quinacridone
permanent colors which were pioneered by Daniel Smith and now found
in other brands as well. Favorite brushes are a 3” Hake brush,
1 inch flat Aquarelle, #12 Loew-Cornell® 720 Ultra round, and various
Jack Richeson® sables. I use both a Jones palette and Eldajon®
palettes (no longer made) in the studio, and a compact Winsor &
Newton® paint kit for on location work. Most of my on-location paintings
are about 5” x 8.” All of my larger paintings are completed
in the studio. My studio has floor to ceiling north facing windows for
natural light and is supplemented with a combination of warm and cool
fluorescent lighting.
I start each painting by building up loose transparent glazes, working
from light to dark. Because of its transparent nature, watercolor cannot
be painted light-over-dark. Light passages must be preserved by painting
the darker negative shapes around them. At this point I am careful to
retain these light areas as I build up the darker values. I choose not
to use any masking fluid to preserve the whites, rather I just paint
around them; this creates more natural hard and soft edges.
Watercolor is an ideal medium for capturing the random water stains
and varnish marks on the sandstone walls of Zion. A wet-into-wet wash
describes the soft sky, while a dry brush technique is used to delineate
cracks and fissures in the rock face. I refine the shapes as the painting
progresses, being careful to balance hard and soft edges. The final
touches include the addition of the darkest darks and elements of detail
in the leaves and branches of the foreground trees.
Reproduced from:
"A Century of Sanctuary: The Art of Zion National Park"
Published by Zion Natural History Association
Foreward by Robert Redford, Edited by Pamela Frazier
144 pages, full-color
150 images
$24.95 Softbound
$34.95 Hardbound
available online from ZNHA: www.zionpark.org
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