Plein Air @ Villa Montalvo Saratoga CA

Checked my Plein Air history, today was my eighth time painting at this location. Not only because it was a perfect day, also because another local artist would like to paint outdoors together. I suggested to start at Villa Montalvo, because there are plenty of subject choices to start a painting.


I spent a longer time to draw the building, and noticed later that I didn't really need all the details after all. But it was a good practice. (October 15 2021)



My first time painted Villa Montalvo on April 5 2018

San Francisco Bay Area CA Saratoga, CA, 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

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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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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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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Girlfriends' Teatime

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“There's nothing sweeter than a real friend: Not only is he prompt to lend— An angler delicate, he fishes The very deepest of your wishes, And spares your modesty the task His friendly aid to ask. A dream, a shadow, wakes his fear, When pointing at the object dear.”  ― Jean de La Fontaine, Fables I believe that most of us have good friends from time to time.  Lucky ones have life time friends. After growing up, it seems that is not very easy sitting down, having a cup of tea or coffee, chatting together... I want to continue creating my Girlfriends' Teatime series, to express how much I miss them in my life, and wish our tea time could last as long as our friendship without any worries... Share some beautiful quotes about Friendship here. "Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." – Marcel Proust “Words are easy, like the wind; Faithful friends are hard to find.” ― William Shake...
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Happy Father's Day! - An Unfinished Still Life "Father Made me a Blue Desk"

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This is an unfinished still life painting in honor of my father, I painted for to express the hidden emotions that I wished to express on many Father's Days past. The desk no longer exists.  My father made it for me when I was in primary school, and painted with our favorite color blue.  I studied, reading books on this desk till I started high school, also learn drawing and painting for a short while. This painting is from a childhood memory - heavy and painful, clear and cloudy all in one breath. There are two bamboo pen stands my father carved with his beautiful calligraphy, the smallest one was made for me with his words of love and wish.  The bamboo flute in the stand was my father's instrument that he played once for a while when he was alive.  Luckily, I still have those objects with me. My father hand carved the two bamboo pen stands.  The smallest one was for me with loving words and best wishes inscribed upon it.  The bamboo flute was my fath...
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Plein Air @ Santana Row, San Jose, CA. 加州風景水彩畫寫生

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"When you follow the dream in your heart, you’re energized, inspired, and motivated.” Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803 – 1882 American essayist, lecturer, and poet). It was quiet this morning. Not many people passing by. Later getting busier, many trucks stopped to deliver to shops. Wow, it was so warm, about 78 degrees. I finished drinking a whole bottle of water, it reminded me that I really need more water in summer. Again, there was no light on the wall when I started painting. Tiring day from the heat I guess. Santana Row is not only a residential area, also it is a commercial district, full of designer brand shops, bars and restaurants. I used to be a city girl, enjoyed the city life and activities because I was born and raised in one of the oldest cities, Beijing. California life style or maybe living in Silicon Valley, has changed me so much, outdoors for nature and shopping online are my regular activities. I have been to Santana Row only a few times. On the other side from...
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Sketching @ Apple Park Cupertino CA

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Thought to do something different, Apple Park was a good place for sketching and not far from where I live. and some of our local artists were meeting up there today.  Sun came out this morning after weeks of rain. I was not well prepared for it. Found my pencils, sketch book, eraser and outdoor chair in a rush. Felt I should have more hands to carry each of them, why didn't I grab a bag and have everything in it? Warm in the sun, but not in the shade. There were many young olive trees, I guessed that they were the same age as the Apple Headquarters. Tried one sketch that had architecture, and one very stylish artist I drew her into my work. Then I started to draw other artists. Walked through the Apple park's "mirage" sculpture takes shape as iridescent glass pillars winding through trees. Chatted with several artists to catchup, left after in the afternoon. (January 25 2024)
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Original Art Story - Happy 83rd Birthday Sister Wendy

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Sister Wendy Beckett (born 25 February 1930) is a Catholic nun, who was born in South Africa and educated in Oxford where she was awarded a first class degree in English literature. She has lived a life of solitude for almost thirty years on the grounds of a monastery in England. I never knew about Sister Wendy until I started painting in 2001. Our local library carries a very decent amount of books and DVDs. So, I go there and check them out often, I have found many art resources. I did not pay too much attention to the stories behind each masterpiece before. I was more interested in learning the composition or techniques, etc. One day, I saw Sister Wendy on a cover of a DVD in the art section and just out of curiosity I brought it back home to watch. That was the most remarkable experience I had ever had. I was totally moved by her eloquence and charm, her profound spirit, her passion in art, her rich knowledge and outstanding description of sharing her views on each masterp...
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Papillon - "蝴蝶"(butterfly)

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Artistic depictions of butterflies have been used in many cultures including Egyptian hieroglyphs 3500 years ago. The ancient Greek word for "butterfly" is ψυχή (psȳchē), which primarily means "soul" or "mind". The Russian word for "butterfly", бабочка (bábochka), also means "bow tie". It is a diminutive of "baba" or "babka" (= "woman, grandmother, cake"), whence also "babushka" = "grandmother". (Research from Google,  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly ) (Please click the image to enlarge) In our Chinese culture , two butterflies flying together symbolize love. Also, Butterfly Lovers is a famous Chinese folktale. In some old cultures, butterflies also symbolize rebirth after being inside a cocoon for a period of time. My birthday again, and I would love to share my butterfly story and captures with viewers, also I feel reborn as well:)! When we were kids, of cou...
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Capitola Plein Air 7th Annual Art Festival 2022

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October 31 Day 1 My second year participating the annual Plein Air. Very happy to see Laurie, the event chair, and other artists when I checked in, though it was gray and cold, only 53 degrees. Luckily all the participants got parking permits next to the City Hall. Dragged my stuff walked partway through town and met several painters. Decided to paint on the pier, and got permission from the store owner to set up my gear in front of his shop. There were three or four older guys chatting across from me, some passers by dressed up Halloween outfits complimented my work. Then I moved back to my car, drank water and ate some snack. Went back and started painting my second one, smaller size, but I liked the colors of the building. It was getting colder, watercolor paper wasn't drying, and took much longer to do my next steps. It was about near sunset, so I decided to hit the road for home. November 1 Day 2 It was raining heavily at the location... November 2 Day 3 Arrived there and fou...
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