Original Art Stories - Xueling Zou

I didn't want to miss another nice day, and went back to the same place where I painted last week. But I moved the position of the scene a little further away so I was able to paint the pink building of the Carmelite Monastery, and the super-blooming oleanders. After setting up my work gear, I saw the red truck parking at the same spot I had missed to paint last week. I really had a moment and wanted to paint it again. I saw a senior guy pass by pulling a wagon when I started on my work. Hours later he came back again with his wagon almost full and asked if he could have a peak at my work. Of course I told him, and we introduced ourselves to one and other.  His name was Hall, and he lived nearby. Shopping with a wagon, what a great idea and healthy way to go about it. (June 29 2023)

Painted Plein Air for the first time in a while, I really missed it. Today I went to Carmelite Monastery Santa Clara CA to paint this church building, which has been on my mind for a long time. It was a peaceful place, only saw a few people, including a nun who walked into the church from the side door. Drawing the architecture took me for a while, then painted the clouds with care. Because we don't usually have clouds besides during winter. Not much light and contrast. Then spent a lot of time for the details on the building. After that I realized that the details were too small and there wasn't any reason to include them in my Plein air work. Church bell rang twice during the time I painted there, it brought a lot peace. Hope it expends to the whole world....

Went to the historic monastery church this morning. Painted outside this beautiful place twice last year. I drove into the quiet place, planned to paint the church architecture, but instead I found a lovely house behind it. Just because the morning light was gorgeous, shone on the pink color fence, even the garbage bin and the shadow was kind of the object I was in the mood for. Painted it loosely, the church bell rang after my painting was done. (January 27 2022)

I was a little bit behind schedule, arrived the location about 10:40 AM. This was a place I wanted to painted for a long time. It was closed to the public since the pandemic. Happy to see the gate was open, but I decided to paint the front gate. The neighborhood was quiet in the morning. I was standing in the walkway in front of the house under a tree. The lady lived in the house was nice, she was busy in and out. First drove her car back with groceries. I guessed another women was her daughter and grand daughter. Then put her helmet on and went bicycling nearby. Later, she and a guy went for a walk. They both were not young, how could she have so much energy? Each time she was checking out my painting. The bell rang many times, the sound brought my feeling back to the old days. I painted until a guy came out to close the gate, and the road started to get busier. Before finished up, the nearby restaurant owner came by to introduce himself and see my work. He told me tha...

It was a beautiful Easter Friday, I thought that I should paint something related to the Easter spirit. Suddenly I remembered that I wanted to painting this old historic building each time I passed by for many years.  Drove to the location, just couldn't find a good angle in front of the Adult School to set up.  Either it was in the drive way, too close to it.  There was a bus stop there, I saw the building angle I wanted to paint, but I had to see it through through a honey comb kind of block wall.  It was challenging, I had to walk a couple steps to see better because there was a young tree, a car and a trash can all in a row, not to mention the "bee hive" wall.  Well, it took me a little bit longer, but I did it on this lovely Easter Day.  (April 2 2021)