Original Art Stories - Xueling Zou

Happy New Year! 新年快樂!  How was your New Year day? 2020 Day1 Gave myself a couple days off before the New Year, studied about art history. Today was gray, I came to the location to paint my favorite subject boats. Saw many people walking on the Harbor, some of them bought crabs from the local fishermen. It started sprinkling, so I had to do my work inside the car. The fishing boat I worked on was very interesting, but it wasn't easy to do... I did a drawing, a watercolor sketch. And brought a crab for our dinner table for celebrating the first day of 2020.

Raining, windy and cold. Came to draw and paint at one of my favorites places - Pillar Point inside the car. Felt little bit crazy about myself or should be mad at the weather, though, lol...

I knew that it was going to rain today, so I was well prepared. I couldn't paint standing up as I usually do, just because it was windy. Arrived earlier, got a chance to sketch the boat and had some wash with watercolors, then it started raining. I painted inside the car for a while. Came back home to finish this rusty fishing boat painting.

Sunny and warm in the morning. Came back to one of my favorite places Halfmoon Bay and painted one of my favorite painting subjects boats. Overdressed again with my down jacket on, but it was always better than having less clothe in winter. Still felf stiff when I drew and painted, really shouldn't stop doing it for two month. Rome wasn't built in one day, art takes lifetime to develop! I will continue creating art for sure. Thanks for all my friends for your support!

I just received my new brush I ordered from   http://www.jerrysartarama.com.   Felt excited to try it, and came back to Pillar Point Harbor, Half Moon Bay. It was a warm day, not too windy. I didn't like my last boat painting. but the old rusty fishing boat wasn't parked at the position so I couldn't easily see it. Well, many other boats I could paint were here. Dinner time, there was a clever seal swimming around waiting for food he could get from fishermen. Unfortunately the hairs of my new brush (made in Germany) was immediately spread apart on my first stroke. I didn't have time to feel disappointment, the sun started setting down, the temperature was dropping dramatically that I felt cold. The reflection of the boats was so beautiful, but I knew that I had to continue painting, no time for a photo. I am happy with today's result, loose not stiff, that is the way I like. I guess I have to painting during limited time period.

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

"A work of art is the energy manifestation of the one who created it. It holds the spirit of the artist within its shapes, forms, and colors.... When we observe a painting, the light and energy systems of our bodies and minds meet the energy system of the painting."― Audrey Flack "Art &Soul - Notes on Creating") “Tears are a river that takes you somewhere…Tears lift your boat off the rocks, off dry ground, carrying it downriver to someplace better.”― Clarissa Pinkola Estés (born 27 January 1945; is an American poet, post-trauma specialist and Jungian psychoanalyst) “To put meaning in one's life may end in madness, But life without meaning is the torture Of restlessness and vague desire-- It is a boat longing for the sea and yet afraid.” ― Edgar Lee Masters (1868 – 1950; was an American poet, biographer, and dramatist) “Let your boat of life be light, packed with only what you need - a homely home and simple pleasures, one or two friends, worth the name, s

I love boats, studying on boats is a joy to me.  I can easily wander around dock, look at each one of the boats, take countless photos for hours.  Of course, I enjoy painting them as well.  To me, getting the best composition is the key of an successful painting, then shape, color palette... "The act of painting is a spiritual covenant between the maker and the higher powers. the Intent of the artist flows through the work of art, no matter what the technique or style."  (―Audrey Flack "Art &Soul - Notes on Creating") "It almost doesn't matter what you paint. It is what takes place during the act of painting that matters. It doesn't matter what style or technique you use. It is the artistic result and personal development that counts." As Joseph Addison (1672 – 1719, English essayist, poet, playwright and politician.) said, "The chief ingredients in the composition of those qualities that gain esteem and praise, are good nature, truth, go

It has been 10 years now since I started painting both oils and watercolors. I have been too busy to focus on oil, and have almost forgot that I paint watercolor as well. If you are curious for the reason, you can read my "A White Peacock" story in this blog. Still I remember at the very beginning, I did not know any watercolor techniques, just followed my feeling and basic idea to draw the structure on the paper and fill in colors which I thought were right. That was how I created my watercolors then, can you believe it? Now, I look back at my original work, and realize that I may really have some artistic talent as told by many people, but which I personally have always had doubts about. Of course, if you never try and you never know. I really have been learning a long and tough way in life so far. And also, I believe that it is the greatest tip just keep doing and working hard... Just as Robert Goddard said "It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of