Alameda Plein Air Paint Out -19th Annual Event 2024


This was my fifth time joining the Plein Air Paintout in Alameda. Starting in 2018, because of the pandemic, we missed one year, and I missed the last year.

Checked into Richard and Jo's recently-renovated Victorian house after charging my electric car a bit on Sunday night. Nice that I could stay the night before so I didn't have to feel frustrated in freeway traffic, worrying about missing the beginning of the Alameda annual event.

There were many nicely done classical still-life paintings hanging on the walls in their house. Found out that Jo is an artist too, Those still-life paintings were hers. Richard started learning watercolors from Margaret at the art center.

There was a little drama at the charging station before that. There was a guy occupying one of the two 30-minute charging stations who wouldn't leave. The other was an Asian gentleman who let me charge first, and he was back in the waiting queue.

I noticed that the guy had charged past the 30-minutes maximum time, and told him that his time was up, but he said rudely to me "Mind your own business!" I guess that everything has a way to be balanced, good and bad, light and dark, etiquette and rude, just like a painting needs contrasts. I decided to leave after charging my car for 20 minutes, and didn't want the other gentleman to wait for too long.

Very happy to see some new faces and old artist friends as we were getting our papers and canvases stamped. Most of volunteers were the same people who helped us out in previous years. They are nice people for sure.

I drove around and checked several painting spots, and because it was gray, all the locations and subjects looked unappealing.  It was almost noon when the sun came out. I started painting near the Fruitvale Bridge with an old factory behind. I had an idea to paint it as a night scene, it was challenging, and it took time to finish. Actually I went back a couple of times to add more info.



On the other side was the Dragon Boat restaurant. And I tried another sunset scene in front of it. Actually, this one was on my painting lists for years. Finally, I did one.




Bettie hosted a big party at our first paintout night in her backyard on the waterfront. Always fun to catch up with many artists and meet new ones too.

I was supposed to move to Bettie's after a two-night stay at Richard and Jo's. Another artist who stayed one night at Betties told me that she wanted to move from the boathouse into her house because of the bridge noise. I'm pretty sensitive to noises myself while sleeping, so I checked with Richard and Jo, but couldn't stay because their niece was coming.

Fortunately, I met Nancy at the party, and she invited me to move into her house, and I could sleep well and concentrate on my painting. She lives in a beautiful, well-maintained Victorian home that really proved a peaceful place.

The next morning was grey again so I decided to draw the places first then go back to painting after the sun came out. There were many streets under construction, but I ended up at one of my favorite painting spots, "Dan's Farmers Market". There were many cars parked in front. After cars drove away new ones replaced them. It took me much longer to draw, then paint and it was chilly in the shade,  Besides the cars kept blocking what I wanted to see. It is one of the many challengings of Plein Air.


Afterwards, I went back to charge my car and went for a walk at the Grand Marina. There were always many paintable subjects there and I loved the mood of the sunset time there, and so decided to paint it.

Wednesday morning was our "Quick Draw".  Aeolian Yacht Club was on my painting list as well. Another gray morning. When I was halfway done with my painting, a security guard came and told me that I should not park in the Guest parking area, also that I should not be there. Usually I would move on, but time was limited so I stayed to finish the "quick draw". Later, the sun came out and it was not easy to edit on watercolor, I tried to light up some color areas to match the new lighting.






Saw several good works at the SouthShore Center during our "Quick Draw"exhibition. After that, with Poon and Beth together, we went to the docks to paint the famous aircraft carrier, the USS Hornet, which was another subject I've always wanted to paint.




For several paintings, I had to return to the location to add more detail or catch the sunset feeling. While back at Grand Marina, I overheard some young kids speaking in a unique language near their parents, which turned out to be a Mayan language.


Reminded that we went to Guatemala, and heard all the stories about how the Mayan culture is slowly disappearing. I am very happy that they spoke this language to their kids. The guy told me that he knew how to write some of the characters as well, just because his family was poor, he had to drop out from the school when he was still young...



Evening was fun. Chatting with Nancy, I found out she was such an interesting person. And I enjoyed a solo show she performed for me on piano, and sang for me like on a broadway stage! Friday I framed my paintings at home.




Saturday we had a wonderful exhibition. Juror Babara Tapp gave me very nice feedback. (August 3 2024)

Several weeks ago, I attended this special event honoring the talented Nancy Seamons Crookston at South Shore Shopping Center with many other artists. Some of us painted outdoors, this what I did of a live model long pose 3-hour session + hours added for studio study, painted on a 12"x16" new panel.







https://originalartstories.blogspot.com/2022/08/alameda-plein-air-paint-out-17th-annual.html
https://originalartstories.blogspot.com/2021/08/alameda-plein-air-paint-out-16th-annual.html


San Francisco Bay Area CA San Francisco, 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

Plein Air @ A Secret Garden Lucie Stern Community Center Palo Alto CA

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Got up with my lower back pain, and it was gray. I hesitated if I should go paint... I made up my mind to go after breakfast, just because it was a new painting location to me. There is always traffic on #101 now, no matter during the rush hour/hours or not. I got caught in it both ways. Felt happy to see that many artists already found their spots to paint after I got there and found this secret garden.   Beautifully designed building in Spanish Mediterranean-style architecture. I tried to find where I could paint, and realized that every turn I might block one of the artist's views. Finally, I stayed near the gateway area and painted this more complicated scene. A Chinese lady painter came back from Hawaii, I met her before padamic. Unfortunately her house was burned down their. She taught me some TaiQi for my back pain and report back on my progress after 2 weeks. She brought her 96-year-old father with her. I saw him sitting on a bench and drawing in the distance, I thou
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Plein Air @ Shoreline Lake Boathouse Mountain View CA 加州風景寫生

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We had high heat for a couple of weeks, so it was very pleasant day at the waterfront. I found a shady spot and painted the Lake boathouse. Actually, I had both Shoreline Lake American Bistro and the Lake Boathouse in my mind.  But the white tent looked more interesting and I thought I would paint the visiters in front of it arriving for kids' summer camp as well. During the time I drew it, I changed my mind, because it was getting complicated.  At the end, I tried to unzip my favorite outdoor painting jacket, but it was stuck.  Worn out I guess after using it for many years.  I had to ask for help from other artists.  Three ladies helped, but could not unzip.  Finally, one of the ladies suggested unzipping it from the bottom, so I was at least able to take it off.   (July 8 2024)
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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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Plein Air @ Joseph D. Grant Park, Mt. Hamilton CA

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Drove through a narrow winding road to the location, I could see this beatiful Santa Clara Valley scene from the hill this fine morning. My first time painting at this location, though I had been there several times before, hiking or just passing by.   I didn't see the old barn that I wanted to paint; it was supporse to be nearby. Found a spot at the shore of the Grand Lake and painted next to an other local artist who was working with oil media. Old oak trees in the distance, California poppies were blooming on the hills, birds singing and catching each other, frogs in the lake... Such a gorgeous spring time, but I knew it was not my typical scene to paint.  Finished the work, walked around chatted with the other artists. Actually,  I found the old barn really was not far from where we were painting, have to come back again. (April 29 2024)
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Plein Air @ a dock in Sausalito CA

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Such a charming harbor town with hills and houses which I always enjoy visiting.  Though it is not close to where I live, we were blessed on Memorial Day, I finially got to paint there. Sometimes you have to give up something to fulfill other ideas. I decided not to ge paddling on my friends' kayaks, watching them having fun in the water, and then struggling on my work. I thought it was worth it, just beacuse I had this idea for so long. Only it was a little chilly and windy (like our winter tempreture), but I was well prepared with my down jacket on. The clouds were dramatic, but I focused on a distant and interesting subject. I didn't even know what to call it Perfect timing, they all came back to shore, and my work was almost done, we had luch together and got to catch up. (May 27 2024)
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Plein Air @ The Western Shore Redwood City CA

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Besides being caught in not surprising traffic on U.S. Route 101 as usual, it was a nice breezy morning at the location. Walked around and instantly decided to paint those sailboats parked there. Might Be that I didn't paint enough boats at the event in Alameda, it was only ten days ago. It meant that I was physically recovered from exhausted. As an artist, I think that it is very important to be creative. So I decided not to paint all the boats parking in a row, and "moved" the warehouse building behind the three boats I painted. The composition of this painting looked better than exactly what was in front of my eyes. Saw several other artists painted there as well. Only talked a few, they seemed to all have found what they wanted to paint. (August 15 2024)
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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 ealier before others were done
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Plein Air @ Downtown Campbell CA

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Rainy season is over, and I should catch up on outdoor painting. Downtown Cambell is one of my favorite places to do Plein Air, at lease I painted here or nearby about ten times so far. Painted with a group of local artists, I took the spot I painted several years ago at the beginning of my oil Plein Air. Sat on a bench in front of Starbucks, I didn't do a small sketch this time. Also I was able to see my car, which was parked in a two-hour parking zone, in case I couldn't finish my work on time. I would have to move my car. Weather suddenly got warm, felt like it went from winter tempretures to summer overnight. It was a good exercise for outdoor painting. (April 22 2024)
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Plein Air @ Municipal Rose Garden San Jose CA 加州風景寫生

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Beautiful weather and went back to the Rose Garden in San Jose with a group of locacale artists.  This 5.5–acre Municipal Rose Garden is in full bloom with thousands of roses. It is named "America's Best Rose Garden." I have been here to paint a couple of times as I remember.  I hesitated to decide what to paint in such a lovely place.  I did a water fountain painting and the flowers arches before.   Saw another artist passing by, after chatting a little bit with her, I made up my mind to paint the artches again, and put her into my work. It still felt a little chilly in the shade while I was painting.  Another painter I just met named Allen was giving me a little feedback.  Always nice to hear other's opions. I wonder why I feel tired easier, the pollen made my eyes itchy and sensitive, and my whole body was fighting with it even though I was well protected with mask and sunglasses.  Finished around noon.  (May 13 2024)
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