Sketches from a short trip in Idaho

Watercolor pencil sketch @ Shoshone falls park
Watercolor pencil sketch @ Shoshone falls park.  105 degrees in the afternoon...

August was a busy month, though we took several days for a short vacation after the Alameda Plein Air event. It was our first time in Idaho, and my first trip since the pandemic. Landed at Boise, rented a car and drove for hours to Ketchum. One of my husband's brothers Stephen just retired and his girlfriend Laura rented a beautiful apartment for one month and invited us to visit them there. Arrived around dinner time, and they had a welcome dinner well prepared with everything was from the local farmer's market. Of course it included the most famous Idaho delicious potatoes, barbequed lamb shoulder, and fresh vegetable salad as well. A yummy apple pie, introduced by Opera Winfred. We had our own bedroom, with a decent size bathroom attached. The quality of the building was super-good compared to California construction. Later we found out that the beautiful while house just across the street was Ernest Hemingway's daughter, she only lived there once or twice a year.
It was a small town, and was very quiet. After a good sleep, we went to a local restaurant for breakfast. We hiked on the North Fork of Big Wood River, and had a quick sketch there. It was hot, almost 90 degrees. I didn't bring my regular Plein Air set, only had my watercolor pencils and a sketch book, challenging to figure out how to create a landscape from the limited colors. The result was unexpectedly acceptable.
We had lunch at a local restaurant with beer and salad. Sounded healthy, but I gained 5 pounds after 5 days trip. Great to see Stephen and Laura were happy together after he retired. Two brothers caught up across all the years. All we did was eat, drink, chat, fish, sketch, and hike... What a wonderful visit! Only the days we were there were too hot.
On the way driving back to Boise Airport, it was 105 degrees. But we still visited the Twin Falls, and I did another sketch at the Shoshone Falls park.
We tried to eat healthy, but there were only a few restaurants opened after we arrived Boise. Found a nearby hotel restaurant and had a delicious pizza. Next morning we had the beautiful Boise River Greenbelt walk, went to Farmers' market, bought Elk sausages, one for us and another one for our friends.

First time trying watercolor pencil sketch the landscape @ North Fork Big Wood River, Idaho
First time trying watercolor pencil sketch the landscape @ North Fork Big Wood River, Idaho



@sun valley, idaho
Plein Air sketch @sun valley, idaho



Sketch while drinking, chatting & eating...
Sketch while drinking, chatting & eating...

Stephen sharing what he learned from another artist...
Stephen sharing what he learned from another artist...



sketch @ bald mountain idaho
sketch @ bald mountain idaho



sketch @ bald mountain trail, idaho

sketch @ bald mountain trail, idaho

a dog visiting me, while sketching @ bald mountain trail, idaho

a dog visiting me, while sketching @ bald mountain trail, idaho
a dog visiting me, while sketching @ bald mountain trail, idaho

sketch @ bald mountain trail, idaho

sketch @ bald mountain trail, idaho

Airport sketch

Airport sketch
Airport sketch

met my first friend in the rental car @ Boise Airport Idaho
met my first friend in the rental car @ Boise Airport Idaho

Arrived Ketchum after hours driving 80mile/hr speed for hours.
Arrived Ketchum after hours driving 80mile/h speed for hours.

Tasted the freshest famous potatoes from the local farmers' market
Tasted the freshest and most famous potatoes from the local farmers' market.

Delicious apple pie was introduced from Oprah Winfrey
Delicious apple pie was introduced from Oprah Winfrey



Had a good sleep in a beautiful and quiet room attached with a bathroom.
Had a good sleep in a beautiful and quiet room attached with a bathroom.

Breakfast @ a local restaurant
Breakfast @ a local restaurant

Breakfast @ a local restaurant

a wood bridge on the North Fork Big Wood River Idaho
a wood bridge on the North Fork Big Wood River Idaho

Hiking along the North Fork Big Wood River trail, Idaho
Hiking along the North Fork Big Wood River trail, Idaho

Ketchum is a small town, using a flag for crossing a road.
Ketchum is a small town, using a flag for crossing a road.

Beautiful tree eyes, wish I could understand the message....
Beautiful tree eyes, wish I could understand the message....

Beautiful tree eyes, wish I could understand the message....

Two brothers, one flies fishing, one was watching...
Two brothers, one flies fishing, one was watching...

Feeling hot, everyday was almost 90 degrees.
Feeling hot, everyday was around 90 degrees.

Does this furry Puli feel hot in Bailey?
Does this furry Puli feel hot in Bailey?

Cooling down after a glass of Thai ice tea @ Bailey, ID
Cooling down after a glass of Thai ice tea @ Bailey, ID

Too hot to bike there...
Too hot to bike there...

Interesting painted car
Interesting painted car in Bailey, ID

Wonderful Perrine Bridge
Wonderful Perrine Bridge, 105 degrees that day...

Twin falls, idaho
Twin falls, idaho, so hot...

Delicious pizza dinner @ Boise, ID
Delicious pizza dinner with beer @ Boise, ID

Posing in front of Freak Alley murals, Boise ID
Posing in front of Freak Alley murals, Boise ID

Interesting Mural @Boise, Idaho

Interesting Mural @Boise, Idaho

farmers market bought elk sausage @Boise, Idaho
farmers market bought elk sausage @Boise, Idaho

Wonderful lunch bento box on the way back to the airport.
Wonderful lunch bento box on the way back to the airport.

Goodbye Idaho! Want to travel soon again
Goodbye Idaho!  Want to travel soon again...






San Francisco Bay Area CA Idaho, USA
Storytelling artist Xueling Zou who works in ♦️ watercolor & ♦️ oil mediums on ♦️ original art Plein Air paintings. Ship worldwide since 2010 @ https://about.me/xuelingzou@ about.me/xuelingzou or http://xueling-zou.pixels.com

Original Art Story

Short-pose live male model drawings

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Always look forward to drawing nude models for their short poses. But I felt it was super challenging to draw this one. His body proportions were unique, long and slim. He posed in many twisty positions while standing, I only could try my best, many other artist said that they felt not easy to draw him too. Felt better by knowing I was not the only one that had a hard time. Hahaha... (April 26 2022)
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Original Art Story - The Colors of La Boca Argentina

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Colorful La Boca grew to become an Italian (mostly from Genoa) district of Buenos Aires, Argentina in a very short time in mid-19th-century. It used to be the area where Italian immigrants arrived, and settled in the poorest of conditions. Their houses were built by the leftover corrugated iron and other waste found in the nearby harbour and industry on the Riachuelo river. In order to make the neighbourhood more interesting, they decided to paint their houses in bright colors by using the leftover paint from boats - hence the many different colours that can be seen. Where first a small river flowed, the area that now is Caminito had tracks installed, and when those were not used anymore, this developed into an ugly, abandoned part of La Boca. There were several museums with paintings portraying its hard-working inhabitants in the shipyards and on the docks. Local artist Quinquela Martín painted the walls of the street, which now we know as Caminito (which means little path in Spanish)...
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Paintings with Auspicious Symbols V - Peacocks 孔雀東南飛

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I was inspired by the Chinese traditional folk art style to create a couple of peacocks with eight peony-flowers oil painting on canvas recently, which I named "Peacocks Flying Southeast 孔雀東南飛". "Peacocks Flying Southeast" is well-known to Chinese and is a phenomenal poem in Chinese literary history. It is one of the collections of the Music Academy (YueFu) formed by the Han Dynasty (196—219 AD) courts to gather literary works created largely for the common people. It was about a tragic love story between a young couple, who promised to love each other forever. Perhaps the morbid mother-in-law could not stand the daughter-in-law coming between her and her son. Eventually she broke up the marriage when her son was working out of the town. The young couple’s dream and promise of living together was shattered. Both their families forced them to marry someone else. So this young couple took their own lives, fulfilling their commitment of love in a different world....
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The Old Man and The Sea - Original Watercolor

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This original watercolor painting was inspired by Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and The Sea.  It is one of my favorite watercolors, and a great gift for Father's Day. (Please click the image to enlarge) I read this book in Chinese a long time ago, then I read it again in English when I was studying in Australia. Back to my overseas studying time, I had to take the ferries from the place I lived to school each day for a while. Not mention the terrible home sick I had, the ending of relationship with my first boy-friend, when I struggled with every single little detail in life. But nothing could stop my love of the ocean and I enjoyed taking ferries on beautiful and stormy days. Watching the sun-rising or sun-setting, sailing by the magnificent city landscape and the awesome boats out on the sea, I promised myself that I knew I would overcome the difficulties... Years later, I started painting watercolors after moving to Bay Area in California, and the first one in m...
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Plein Air @ Jose Higuera Adobe Park Milpitas CA

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It has been unusually cold and rainy the past few days here. Decided to do a first Plein Air work in the month May. My first time visiting this historic park.  Only saw a few people, might be because of the cold and gray morning.  Found a spot and started my work.   I had to put an extra jacket on, and my work took a longer time to be dry enough for putting on the second and third layers.   Not the best work I've done, but it is a good start for the month. (May 10 2023) Or join me at: FaceBook , Instagram , Twitter , Pinterest
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Plein Air @ home before sunset Bay Area CA

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After a hot summer, suddenly the temperature dropped down, felt like autumn this week. This is scene I see daily. After over a decade I finally decided to paint it. Setting up my workstation, I just drew what I usually saw, then started to paint with watercolors. Because summer was still in my mind, I used a little too much water at the beginning, so the paper kept wet for a long time, especially after sunset. Liked the vegetation over the fence, it was the overrunning green. I thought it could be green plants climbing over the fence. I could not complete the painting, not only was the paper too wet, also I felt cold and it was getting dark. The next day, I did my final touch and finished it. Maybe try another one again in the future, such a convenient spot. (September 19 2024)
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Chinese Moon Festival II - A Classical Poem and Homesick 中秋节思乡

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Dream in the Night — Interpreted by Xu YuanChong Abed, I see a silvery light, I wonder if it's frost aground. Looking up, I find the moon bright; Bowing, in homesickness I'm drowned. 静夜思 — 李白 床前明月光， 疑是地上霜。 举头望明月， 低头思故乡。 (Please click the image to enlarge) This poem written by Li Bai (701 – 762) who was a major Chinese poet of the Tang dynasty poetry period  - China's "golden age" of classical Chinese poetry (  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_Bai ). It was one of the first classical poems I was taught before my primary school. Of course, I would not know the meaning at that young age. The older I get and the farther I live from home, the deeper I feel this poem, which is more often appearing in my head. Hiding my tears used to be part my character. But now, I can no longer control it behind my eyes whenever I think of it... Another Mid-Autumn Festival is coming again, which is a popular lunar harvest festival celebrated by Chinese...
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Plein Air @ Allied Arts Guild Menlo Park CA

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I have been thinking to paint at this location for a while. Today was perfect weather for outdoor painters, and I went there to paint with other local artists. Such a gorgeous place.  Each time I had a  hard time deciding where to start my work.  I even went upstairs to see the whole garden from above.  Almost every angle was paintable. Actually, I saw a guy who was doing flower arrangment on his knees.  I asked for his permisssion to take photos. he told me that he did this each Wednesday.  I would love to paint him someday in my studio.  Finally, I decided to paint from a similar spot as my first time painting there. Just like many years ago, there was a class of younger age children singing.  Tlhe teacher kept repeating the same song over and over... I thought I could remember the song, but I only remember the "miao miao miao" of the cat... LOL Some artist started earlier, and some of them were fast painters, they started theirs a little bit e...
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Plein Air trip @ Carmel by the sea, CA

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Four-day-trip, it wasn't long, especially when we painted at the one of most beautiful places, Point Lobos State Natural Reserve. Three artist friends together, we made progress from May 3 to May 6. It was a nice and clear afternoon when we checked in Hyatt Carmel Highlands - Hyatt Inn.  There was an amazing sunset view overlooking Big Sur Coast from our room every dawn.  Bought enough food from Safe Way.  We cooked and ate branches, and late dinners, went out painting about six hours each day.     Weather was unpredictable, it changes dramatically all the time, from warm sunny to windy foggy in one hour.   First day wasn't easy, didn't know how to handle the fast changes.  Then started to learn and improved...  I did two watercolor paintings, one sketch on the first day. After dinner, one of the artists suggested painted another still life after I arranged our food on the table. Next day, we painted at Garrapata State Park. T...
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Short-pose live male model drawings

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Seems that working in the studio and Plein Air outdoors are quite different in many ways. Went to Carmel Plein Air painting with my friends for four days, missed the last session for short-pose live model drawing. So I found that I had difficult time to draw. No matter two minutes, five minutes or ten minutes, I could not draw fast and correctly enough, didn't have time to draw a leg or arm. This model was good, he worked very hard, I saw his body shaking during the pose. Of course we all pay good tips to our models. (May 10 2022)
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