Original Art Stories - Xueling Zou

A few sketches I did when traveling on the train in Spain weeks ago. I really enjoyed people watching there, wish everyone could be my model. Today I planned to paint at the San Mateo Memorial Park. My car GPS didn't give the location, I only could follow Google maps, started all in red on the high way 280. Turned on the route 84, everything looked so beautiful through the dappled sunlight, especially all the tall redwoods. I enjoyed driving on the winding roads, thought that my driving skill has definitely improved since I had started doing Plein Air. An accidentally-killed dead deer's half body was left on the roadside. Inside the mountains, Google maps asked to make U turns a couple times, I knew I hadn't arrived, didn't follow. It was my first time to be at this location and I finally arrived to a sign announcing that the park was closed due to a high fire situation. Bummer... Of course it was reasonable since the Sonoma big fire hasn't been put down yet.

Carmen is commonly reputed as the most popular opera ever written. The story is about a Spanish soldier Don José who falls passionately in love with a beautiful Gypsy woman Carmen. José abandons his childhood sweetheart and deserts from his military duties, yet loses Carmen's love to the glamorous toreador Escamillo, after which José kills her in a jealous rage. The depictions of proletarian life, immorality and lawlessness, and the tragic death of the main character on stage. I was moved by the music and so shocked by this tragic love story... I always wanted to express this drama, but how could I create art piece differently than others? So many of them as well... It was very challenge for sure! I knew that I would love to express the rhythm of the music through a flamenco dancer, as well as showing the passion and bravery, also the bull fighting, and the death... Finally, I've finished creating this painting after three-month period time (studied and painted over and o