Original Art Stories - Xueling Zou

What a glorious fall day in San Francisco! Just couldn't believe that Google map guided me near the location, still took me a while to find the gate and a parking spot. Not sure why there was no botanical garden in my car GPS, got frustrated in the morning over that. Instantly I wanted to paint this colorful tree near the pond. The tree wasn't a simple subject to me, and English is my second language. I overheard that people talking about coyotes while I was struggling on my work, I didn't stop and continued using my visual brain on the painting. Suddenly, I realized that a couple of visitors were talking to me while passing by. I stopped and saw a well fed huge coyote walking behind me about fifteen to twenty feet away (about 7 meters). He walked like in his own backyard... After painting done, met a several Plein Air artists, they said that the coyote was howling to the fire engine this morning. I guess this botanical garden really has become his territory.

I missed painting outdoors so much, so had to go to the location, though there was 20 percent chance of rain today. It didn't rain but it was grey most of time. I was excited to see the running water at the creek, because our raining season finally has started. But I forgot to bring my clips for clipping the watercolor paper on the board. No problem, lucky to join the group of watercolor artists painting there together today. Instantly I borrowed more than four clips from three artists. Not a very smooth beginning with my work, then I kept reminding myself that I was not here for painting what I saw. Artist should be creative by inspiration... Slowly, I had overcome my fear of paint by using darker watercolor paints. Finally my work got other artists' compliments. I believe that not because my own interpretation worked, also the borrowed clips had brought me the strength from other's. Do you agree with me? What a blast Thanksgiving break! Went to Chicago, Pennsylvania, ...

I really did not want to stay indoors on such a gorgeous autumn day. A new location I just discovered on Skyline Blvd in Woodside was on my mind, and had to give it a try. It was challenging and fun driving on the winding Moody and Skyline roads. A couple of sharp turns were about 300 degrees. Tasting room was closed on Tuesday, but that special deep dry grape smell was with me while I was painting in a very peaceful spot in front of the pond. Just love this harvest season! Will be back to paint again!  (November 5 2019)

I caught a real live spider inside my house on Halloween morning, and released it to outside in natural. Having learned my lesson yesterday, I painted at the nearby location today. Easy day, leaves have started changing colors, noon still felt hot in the sun. Got to love the weather, but we do need rain to save more families🙏, stop the fires and for the agriculture as well.

Drove to Guglielmo Winery in Morgan Hill this morning. The air was chilled, temperature suddenly dropped down 20 plus degrees, though felt the summer only the day before. Excited to try my birthday present Escoda brushes bought in Barcelona. Said "Hola" to a worker looked like a Mexican guy, he responded in English. I laughed at myself to use one of the few words I knew in Spanish not to the right person. Did two quick watercolor sketches, and if possible to take a longer time to get to used to the new brushes I believe. Left around noon, it was still feeling dry and hot in the sun.  (October 28 2019)

They are ocellated turkeys. I first saw them when I traveled in Guatemala, but could not realize that  they were in wild.  I was not surprised that some people mistake this type of turkeys for peacocks.  Both of them are birds with similar and beautiful teal colors and patterned feathers covering their bodies, especially when a male opens his fan in order to attract a female's attention.  After day by day study, maybe the autumn feeling urged me to paint a pair of ocellated turkeys in front of a farm, because I haven't seen them in North America.  The more I got into the painting, the more I felt the love between this pair of birds.  I really didn't want to think about Thanksgiving.  I would love to create an environment where they are happy as long as they should live, no matter whether they lived in wild or on a farm. After the painting was done, I was happy for the result.  I posted a thread at http://fineartamerica.com/showmessages...

Napa Valley is considered one of the premier wine regions in the world, with hundreds of vineyards set amid rolling hills. I have been there many times, but not every time I could capture the scenes I love, sometimes I was in a rush, other time the weather or lighting wasn't right. Just like wine tasting, not each time you could experience the most delicious taste. Autumn is always my favorite season. It is still warm, colorful everywhere with harvest, and I usually can get the most of inspiration. Once I saw a perfect wine country scenery just in perfect timing during autumn in Napa, but I forgot to charge the battery in my camera. I guess it is one of the reasons I have to go back. Ha ha ha... It wasn't easy for agriculture in California since it hasn't rained enough for years. I saw colors are different this year through the incredible scenery, the layering of lines and patterns in the valley. It had built up more ochre yellow all over, especially in those war...

Actually this painting was created inside my head for a long time. I really saw the picture with my minds eye. Finally, I painted it on canvas while I was listening Don McLean's "Starry, Starry Night" Vincent (song) over and over. The result that came out was nice, of course it has the Van Gogh feeling for sure. But this was the first time I was stuck with naming my own painting, what should I title it? Glad that I have this artist community to ask.. In such a short time, there were many great ideas suggested. Siesta, Intermezzo, Guitar Break, Melody of Dreams A Perfect Day, All Played Out, Passing Time, dreams of Van Gogh, Perfect Ending , Little Dogie With Shades, Dog Day Melody, While My Guitar Gently Weeps , Six Strings, Four Feet and Sweet Dreams, A Cowboy's Melody, The end of the howling blues, All we need, California Dream Interlude, The Hills Are Alive With The Sound Of Howling, The Sun's Comin' Down On Me, On The Road Again, Acoustic Aphasia, Cool...

"It's said that All Hallows' Eve is one of the nights when the veil between the worlds is thin - and whether you believe in such things or not, those roaming spirits probably believe in you, or at least acknowledge your existence, considering that it used to be their own. Even the air feels different on Halloween, autumn-crisp and bright." - Erin Morgenstern (Please click the image to enlarge) The following image I was inspired by "Thriller" - one of Michael Jackson's most popular songs. This piece won the 1st place in Contest - Halloween on June 24th, 2013. http://fineartamerica.com/contests/1-halloween-.html?tab=leaderboard (Please click the image to enlarge) I really had fun time using my own photos to create these Halloween images by using Adobe Photoshop.  Wish we all have enough time to thin the veil between the creative expression and our imagination world... (Please click the image to enlarge)

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...

Wine tasting is always an excitement for my husband, so he signed up for one with his company. Any alcohol makes me feel extremely thirsty, I am not as huge a fan as him, so, it is not a big deal to me.  I'd rather enjoy and always am inspired by nature!  It was only Wednesday, usually he works long hours. But today's event made both us in a very light mood. Byington is a family-owned winery, located in the Santa Cruz Mountains in the South Bay, California, only about 30 minutes drive from Silicon Valley where we live, if there is no traffic. There are 95-acres of estate owned by the Byington family, and it is the home of their Italian-style chateau winery and vineyard operation. While my husband enjoyed the wine tasting with his co-workers, I had a tranquil moment walking up the rolling hills between the rows of grapes and taking footage by myself, far away from the noise and busy life. What a perfect day in autumn visiting a winery, with a wonderful dry...

Rain of Leaves It's raining big, It's raining small, It's raining autumn leaves In fall. It's raining gold And red and brown as autumn leaves come raining down. It's raining everywhere I look It's raining bookmarks On my book! I've found Aileen Fisher's Rain of Leaves perfectly fits into the weather these days and my capture, simple and delightful. It brings me back to my childhood... Please view a better image or more photos at my Photography - Scapes Gallery:  http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/xueling-zou.html?tab=artworkgalleries&artworkgalleryid=65149