Original Art Stories - Xueling Zou

My terrible memory put a Plein Air exhibit organized by local Chinese artists group. I went to see the opening at their show, many great works of eight artists. I didn't want to miss the chance to Plein Air with them. I was well prepared from a hot summer place to be in a winter climate, though it was only 40 plus miles away at the Moss Beach. My car needed to be charged in Downtown Half Moon Bay, because there was no other charging stations nearby. I did my first painting there with my down jacket on. Didn't realized that it was getting crowed around noon, it was an empty town in the morning when I arrived. My painting got many compliment by the passengers. Prefect time, my work was done and my car was charged. It was a gray day, and drove several miles to the Moss Beach. My first time to be the location, and ate a little snacks in my car. I could tell the temperature was just like winter outside, and had my light wind blocker on, pull my gear up to the hill to meet ot

I canceled my dental appointment, and drove 40 miles to paint with my Chinese artist friends.  Several of them are professionally trained fine art teachers, who used to teach fine art at universities in China. Early morning I drove to the Park St bridge location and painted there.  It was my first time painting at the location.  Several other artists came.  They checked out two different locations before painting.  I realized the scene was a little complicated, so I tried to simplify it. Lan, one of female artist that lives in Alameda, she prepared a delicious lunch for us, some of us contributed some food as well.  I didn't know that there was a critique time.  My watercolor painting was next to the other artists, especially the master painters.  They were all very nice give me enough encouragement and professional advice. After lunch at Lan house on the Bay Farm Island, some of us decided to paint nearby.  But we were invited to visit Nancy's studio after four.  Less than two

One of our Chinese artist masters, Eric Guan, has a studio in Palo Alto. When he wants to paint a model he invites other great painter friends paint with him. Another artist friend, she helps to organize and schedule models for us. We all appreciate the great opportunity of painting together and learning from masters. The other day I took Eric's advice that I should focus on my own style. Because painting with others, it is quite easy to copy each other. Today's model she was young and beautiful. Even though I painted next to Eric, I decided only to use two colors. Three hours painting together, we were all happy with our own results. I know that I have a lot of improvements to make, but I wasn't distracted by other's style. (January 19 2022)

Last Tuesday's (right) and yesterday's (left) Both were 3-hour session live male model oil studies. The model was kind to pose next to my work last Tuesday. Yesterday I worked with a group of  Chinese professionals. A couple of them were master oil painters. Tried to work on new ideas inspired by them, but it didn't look right... Then we had a party for celebrating the shortest daylight in the evening! (December 21 2021) )

There were twenty Chinese artists painting San Francisco Chinatown today, though it was Sunday just after Thanksgiving.  Felt excited to accept the invitation. Drove about hundred miles back forth to Chinatown wasn't a big deal for me.  But it was extremely challenging to find a parking spot.  I knew there were a couple of garages for parking, but it can be difficult for me to find my car afterwards.  Chinatown is not big, but I caught every single traffic light before each turn, had to wait super patiently for the crowds to cross the streets on this Sunday morning.   Finally, I parked my car on one street nearby a Chinese grocery store.  The sign confused me as to whether I could park there or not.  I guessed that was why no one was parked there.  There was an older Chinese guy parking his car behind me.  He looked like a local person and answered my question "It is Sunday, you can park here!" Our organizer told us to start painting about 10:30 AM. It was almost 11 AM. 

So, I had a good reason to stay in bed a little bit longer this morning.  It was a gray day, with a couple drops of rain.  Because of the time difference, my family already called and messaged me for my birthday last night.  My sweet husband left a small birthday note with a tiny chocolate cake and a candle was ready for me when I got up.  Had lunch with three other girl friends, I ordered a vegetarian Vietnamese noodle for a simple celebration.  Then went to one of the ladies house for an hour chat.  Really didn't do much today, and felt I really needed the one day break.  Only checked my birthday messages from all over the world over social medias at night, very grateful feeling from my heart.  Though I won't able to respond each of them... Yesterday was another busy Tuesday from morning till night. My first time paining at Lake Chabot Regional Park in San Leandro. I was lucky that it was quite a smooth drive in the morning to the location.  I joined a Chinese Plein Air grou

2020 Day31 Today is the last day of the Strada Easel 31-day challenge to paint from life. The day before I felt overwhelmed, so only did a watercolor still-life sketch as the last piece #31 of the challenge today. Forgive my daily post, hopefully not a bother for you. I tried to be polite and not post too often but in this case it was a daily requirement. Thank you so much for your feedback, comments, likes and shares. I appreciate your support and encouragement to help me make it through. It was a necessary experience, especially for me to make personal progress, not because being a full-time artist to create art, and think through which area I should focus on depending on my own interests. I think it is important being an artist to create art and also to inspire others or to be inspired. I will continue sharing some my work and stories behind my work, and practice in English my second language. Happy painting!

2020 Day27 I trimmed most of my plants before Chinese Lunar New Year, and had these trimmed branches in a glass jar of olives since then. Finally, I did a watercolor sketch before the flowers drooped. The Abutilon Flowering Maple Chinese Lantern Plant is one of my favorite plants. When we moved into this house eleven years ago, I did a little research before I started gardening. I focused on the plants that could live well in the shade and attract hummingbirds, also ones that bloom often annually . I discovered this Chinese lantern flower was the absolutely perfect plant, I love that the leaves look like maple leaves, the bell shape flowers look like Chinese Lanterns, and it can produce flowers almost year around. These plants really helped to attract hummingbirds who moved into my neighborhood, I watched hummingbird mother guard territory, built nest, raise and train her babies over the years, took countless footage of course. Now, my plant is at least three meters tall, it makes me

2020 Day24, Day25 and Day26 Too busy for celebrating Chinese New Year eve, ate too much food... Only did watercolor sketch...

What a busy long weekend! 2020 Day18 In Chinese tradition, each household starts major cleaning after Kitchen God day. Besides that we had an appointment at noon, morning and afternoon we cleaned our garage and backyard. I went to a local Chinese friend's solo exhibit opening at a gallery nearby later. In between all these things, I did a watercolor sketch. 2020 Day19 Only had a quick still-life watercolor sketch at home. Afternoon went to Michael Reardon's watercolor demonstration in San Jose. Later, joined a Chinese Year of the Rat group New Year Celebration exhibit in Sunnyvale. I had a three pieces showing at the Gallery. Friends and artists came and had fun at the opening... 2020 Day20 Just found out my name is not on the participating in the January STRADA 31-Day Challenge. Hopefully it would be corrected soon. This is my 2nd time joining the #stradaeasel January 31 days daily painting from life is challenging. I bought a Strada Easel two years ago when I

2020 Day17 The Kitchen God is the most important of many Chinese domestic gods that protect the hearth and family. I am not sure that it is a religion or if it is just folklore. Our Chinese culture believes that on the twenty third day of the last lunar month, just before Chinese New Year, the Kitchen God(灶君) returns to Heaven to report all the activities of every household over the past year to Yu Huang, the Jade Emperor(玉皇大帝). The Jade Emperor, emperor of the heaven, who either rewards or punishes a family based on Kitchen God's annual report. Anyway, there are only few days each year we could see snow on top of the distant mountains at our location. It was a beautiful and cold day. Staying at home I painted another still-life. The mouse pot holder I found out the other day was made of silicone rubber. I bought another squash just because I loved the colors. So I made my still-life more fun looking, and hoping it will usher in a happy year of the rat.  At the same time I

2020 Day16 Raining day staying at home. This is what I painted today, spring onions in a clay pot next to the kitchen window. Chinese cooking needs spring onions. I buy a branch occasionally, and put them into this pot with water to keep them fresh. Could not recall how many times I wanted to paint it, especially during the afternoon when the sun shines on it. Unfortunately, there was no sunlight on a rainy day like today, but I won't complain, California needs the rain.

Add caption 2020 Day15 40% chance to rain, then I decided to stay at home. Thought I could paint my aloe vera, but I just discovered they were so sick from the rain without sun. It was one of my most favorite plants, and I used it so many times to recover from sunburns, cuts or cooking burns. I felt bad that I didn't take good care of my plant, though most of them were succulents. Spent an hour or two to clean up. Tried not to upset myself. Then I found a rat pot holder I bought sometime ago that I forgot about it. The Year of Rat is coming in 10 days. Did a watercolor black and white sketch before starting to use it.

2020 Day11 No matter how busy during the weekend, I did not forget to do a watercolor sketch today... 2020 Day12 This watercolor sketch was what I did today. Are you a multitasking person? Can you create art while chatting? I have noticed there are people who manage time very well. I wish that I could be that way. But I feel time is chasing me all around, because I only can do one thing at the time, .. Time management is so important in life. I've known about it a long time, still have to learn how to manage mine better.

2020 Day8 What a busy day staying at home! Thought about how to create an auspicious work for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year - the Year of Rat. Actually I had been thinking about it since last Christmas. I used to be very good and fast when I worked as a graphic/web designer a long time ago... I had forgotten how much I had to go through with the design process, it made my head ache. Focused on the limited items I had, using traditional colors, meaningful symbols, and symmetrical layout. I enlarged an ancient coin, which means prosperity, wrote Fu, Lu, Shou and Xi, those mean Luck, Prosperity, Longevity and Happiness on the coin in an ancient writing style. I only had one little rat, so I drew one, then flipped it to draw it again on the other side, made them look like they are communicating to each other by changing the shapes slightly, so one looks like a male, the other a female. They could be a couple, lovers or love at first sight. My most challenging part was to draw tw

2020 Day5 Tried to create another one for the upcoming Lunar New Year - Year of the Rat. Just a watercolor wash. Still thinking, will continue trying a couple more ideas...

2020 Day3 I thought I should create a piece for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year - Year of the Rat by the auspicious symbols in our culture. I just don't want to copy the stuff I have. Spent hours in the afternoon, but the painting looked like this... I tried to think positively how I could improve the painting. Any suggestions?

Bugs like my watercolors in spring... lol. I didn't know about this park till today. Still under 60 degrees out, not a warm day. Felt like somewhere in China all of a sudden. Lucky me not only have so many friends all over the world supporting my art every day, and also my family members helped and delivered a couple of new 140b big and small watercolor blocks which were made in Holland, and a new watercolor palette with 17 wells from China. I used a couple of new watercolor paints I ordered online. Hadn't gotten to used them yet. Anyway, keep practicing... I don't usually paint for using all the tricks, today's painting I used some sea salt on the tree area, wanted to express the spring blossom feeling, but the sea salt I used not absorbed properly

🎉Happy Lunar New Year! ㊗大家春節快樂吉祥如意🎈🎈🎈 🐔Chinese Rooster New Year starts on January 28, 2017. Traditionally, adults give small red envelopes with money inside for luck to younger generations.  Between January 25 to February 14, you can get 25% discount if you order any prints or products of my original art. This is a limited time offer, simply view my website @ xueling-zou.artistwebsites.com , then enter "MZBPXC" as discount code before your check the order(s) out. 🎨If you interested in collecting any my original artwork, please message me or email me. Thank you for all the support, thank you for viewing and liking my original artwork😊!

For celebrating Chinese Valentine's Day, sharing a copy "Two Lovers" - one of Van Gogh's masterpieces, which I painted ten years ago. 七夕節快樂! 分享10年前我臨摹梵谷的作品"一對恋人". Please visit for more original art @  xueling-zou.artistwebsites.com/ The Qixi Festival (Chinese: 七夕節) is Chinese Valentine's Day which is on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month in the Chinese calendar. The general tale is about the 7th daughter Zhinü (織女) of Emperor of Heaven and an orphaned cowherd Niulang (牛郎 ). Their love was not allowed, thus they were banished to opposite sides of the Silver River (symbolizing the Milky Way). Once a year, on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month, all the magpies would form a bridge to reunite the lovers for one day.