Original Art Stories - Xueling Zou

We always have an "Indian Summer" and it has been hot days for weeks. I decided to go to the Port because there was a subject I wanted to paint at the same spot, but from a different angle. I set up my work station and started on the drawing, which took me a little longer to finish. Because I wanted to try a different color palette, I hesitated to start. Also, there was only one boat next to the dock when I was here before, but many were parked there this morning. I have been thinking to use fewer colors for a long time, my first time to give it a try. The result seemed OK, better than I expected. Basically I wanted to focus on the value of the scene. It was getting windy around noon, and I finished up my work and packed up. Walked a bit around the port and discovered more subjects to paint. I will be back again for sure. (August 16 2023)

It was a nice day, but quite windy at the shore. Fortunately, I found a big tree to block the wind, and it worked very well. As I painted, a lady with her very sweet ten-year-old dog passed by and said Hi. The dog was friendly and didn't want to leave. I really wanted to pet her dog, but I knew that some paints are not good for animals and I had my rubber gloves on. So, I stopped and just watched them while chatting with the lady. After finishing the drawing, I hesitated on where to start with my work on the boats. Feeling a bit stuck, I decided to change to a bigger brush and covered the small details, then worked backwards to find the detail again. It looked better than when I started. As the wind grew stronger, it was time to go home. Last year, before the Alameda Plein Air Event, I painted at the Port of Redwood City. Unfortunately, I missed the application deadline this year, so I won't be able to attend it. (July 27, 2023)

Redwood City Port seems like a perfect location for practicing painting on a windy day. A year ago I painted at the location a couple of times. It was windy in the afternoon. I found a short tree to paint under to block a little wind. Took me almost an hour to finish the drawing. I tried to paint the kayak, but it was removed from the people working there. Lucky I had my reference photo. Not sure why I love painting fishing boats Later the owner of the boat next to it came to me, he took a photo and wanted me to paint his boat someday... Rushed to the drawing class...(July 26 2022) I have to get ready for the Annual Alameda Plein Air event, so I drove to the Campbell Community Center to practice, but I didn't know what to paint. Walked around and saw the Campbell Pool, then I knew it would be a good subject to practice. Found a corner and set up my stuff. For the composition purposes, I had to "move" and "reset" several little details. It wasn't a...

This year is flying by without notice.  Last time I painted nearby the harbor was in April. Perfect weather in Half Moon Bay. I walked around and hesitated for what to paint. A fishing boat came and loaded all the crab nets off. Instantly it helped me to make the subject matter decision, Drew as fast as I could, because I knew that the boat would be gone soon. Such an inspirational place to paint, there were many kinds of birds, seals, fishing boats at the harbor. It wasn't as quiet as usual, several helicopters flying ahead searching... I hope everyone or each family was safe. Glad I was well prepared for when the fishing boat was gone, I had to combined my memory and reference photo to paint.  Those are a few of the  many things I've added to my Plein Air experience over the past four years.  There are many Plein Air artists that have painted outdoors for more than decades.  I can really appreciate their work and effort from my heart.  Not only they...

Beautiful morning on location. Looked like everything was back to normal. Every time I feel lost to choose a boat to paint. Took a while to find one on the pier. Set up my painting station, but it was not early any longer. Felt hot in the sun, and used my Plein Air umbrella. People passing by complemented my work. Even a group of school boys kept saying "Bravo! "Thanks for all the encouragement. Suddenly it became very windy, first it blew my umbrella down, I screwed it down a couple of times. But I stood on the pier with nothing to block the strong wind. So I used my arm to hold my umbrella steady. Then the wind kept blowing little items off my painting station, like testing paper, small brush etc.. Almost finished my painting, I tried very hard to draw lines, but my station was shaking in the wind. Had to pack and leave. Finished the rest details at home.  --March 30

Didn't paint outdoors for two weeks, really missed it. Went to Half Moon Bay, it was beautiful and warm. Painted a yellow mustard flower field at the edge of a major noisy road, it was still muddy after days of rain. Many people stopped by taking photos of the gorgeous yellow flowers. After my first painting done, I really wanted to see and paint boats, I missed painting them very much. Over the years, I have taken countless photos of the boats at Johnson Pier, and can't even remember how many times I've painted at this location, many fishing boats I recognize over the years. Looked like the local business was doing OK. Differently, I found a good spot on the deck, and set up my work station. The deck was narrow, I had to keep reminding myself not to backup, only one step and I could fall into the sea. A sea lion swam around nearby me, only about five meters away. Loved all the dramatic clouds, and happy to see all the fishermen selling crabs. Bought one as a rewar...

Dec 31 2020 Happy New Year to you all !新年快樂 !Wishing all of you a safe, healthy, happy, and prosperous 2021! Many thanks to those who support and encourage me as an artist daily! A like and/or a comment can make a difference! And thanks especially to all collectors of my work. My last painting in 2020. Another beautiful day, rain made the distant hills turn greener. I came to one of my favorite painting spots. Many people were at the park, not easy to find parking. Walked around a bit, saw fishing boats and instantly set up my workstation. Took exactly three hours to finish this work. But don't forget I am a longtime artist, started as a part time, then being a full-time artist for over a decade now. Practicing painting outdoors for three and half years already. I've learned so much from nature, from the great artists both living and no longer with us, and from myself. I have to 100% focus when I paint. So that means being in solitude is the way I work best. Though I enjoy pain...

Dec. 13 It was Sunday,  I woke up a little bit late than usual. Our raining season finally came. Sounds quite poetic just looking at the gray clouds and listening to the rain drops, right? Painting outdoors for several years nearby now, I thought that I had already become an expert to know local weather well. I checked the weather report a couple of times, it said that there was very high chance to rain. I didn't believe it, instead I went to the location, started my small study sketch. It was misty, no big deal. After laying my first wash down, it really started raining. I had to pack as quick as I could, ran into my car, my rain jacket was full of the rain all over. Only half way home, rain stopped, I wanted to turn back badly, but I didn't, finished this one at home.

I really miss painting boats, drove all the way to Pillar Point Harbor this morning.  It was a very warm and beautiful day at the pier.  Got a chance to talk to a couple of fishermen who liked my work.  They had a tough time from covid-19, all the restaurants were closed during salmon season. Now crab fishing was delayed to December 15, a couple of whales were passing by. And they didn't feel it was fair to all the fishermen's lives, because crabbing for sport already is allowed.  On the way back home I kept thinking how I could help them...  (Dec. 2, 2020) The rainy season is delayed for so long - such an unusual year. A perfect day spent in Napa, took many breathtaking vineyard images before the sunset for future reference; a beautiful late fall feeling. Another half-day spent in Point Lobos State Natural Reserve. Walking over 6 miles among the amazing west coast landscape surrounded by character-full cypress trees. Took the fresh ocean air in as much as possi...

Really liked winter at the location, only 50 degrees though I was well prepared. Felt like didn't paint a boat for a long time, suddenly wasn't sure what I should paint in front of all the beautiful fishing boats. I regretted not drawing a small sketch first, because noticing later how difficult it was to work out. One thing I did learn in a hard way from my past experiences, I didn't use much water on paper in such a cold and high humidity weather conditions. Not happy with the composition too. Then forced myself to continue. Saw a couple of other artists, a seal swimming around, and a cute sea Otter was sleeping there. Wish to live closer so I don't have to drive more than hundred miles to go and paint.  (Oct 7 2020)

Which painting do you like? #1 today's or #3 spring time? Second time painting the same subject, last time I did it in the afternoon. Today it was hot, I was well prepared and painted on the side walk path under trees. I didn't plan to paint the car, the composition I don't usually set up in the very middle. I remembered that one of my paintings sold to a shop owner nearby, his wife told me that my painting was all about his life, shop, boat and car... I thought I had to add the car into my painting, because that the story behind the subject was drawing me back again. Light and shadows were very different than when I painted here last spring, but much quieter, maybe due to the pandemic. The fence next to me was somebody's backyard where a guy was working inside, and I could hear his young age daughter calling him a couple times. He listened to the radio the song was "Hotel California", it really helped me got into the feeling to paint! Living in California abo...

Finally, I came back to my favorite painting spot and paint my favorite subject. Did a small sketch, but I wasn't sure how I painted the background. After struggling through this old fisherman's fishing boat, I noticed that I spent too much time on boat. I started with bigger and flat brushes painted bold. Looked it worked OK. Overdressed, I had to take my down jacket off at the pier. Weather report said that it was only 60 degrees. It was quite busy, seemed that fishermen's business doing well. Overheard that salmon was about $14 per pound, I changed getting fresh fish idea, wild salmon I can get from Costco. Both ways, there were no traffic on #280. Actually I was happy experiencing the light traffic on #92, feeling everything was back to normal, I wish.

Came to one of my favorite places to paint in the afternoon. Just because I thought the subject I wanted to paint was more interesting in the afternoon light. But two main things I had forgotten, one was my paper towels, I only had two pieces super soft napkins handy. The other thing was heavy truck traffic around where I painted. It was a very noisy intersection, endless trucks passing by. Also it was windy, and I was facing the west direction, felt the sun always shone on my eyes. I guessed it was good for erasing the unnecessary details. A couple of passengers passing by, they were curious what I was doing. The result was good enough. And I had to run for the restroom, lol...because there wasn't public one nearby.

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.

  Arrived at the location around 10am, just tried to avoid traffic in the morning. This unique building of the Laine's Bites shop was the one I had wanted to paint for a while, set up my station under a young tree with enough shade. A guy was sweeping the street, looked like he was trying to clean off all the dirt from the ground. There was so much dust in the air, I felt it hard to breath, my street parked car was covered with dust very soon. It was OK, I kept telling myself, and focused on my work... Maybe an hour later after the sweeping guy left, a spaying water truck started to clean the street. It was the most busy, small T-junction with endless huge trucks passing by both ways with the loudest squishing noises of heavy metal sounds. Wow, it was my first time to deal with this kind of situation, most of time I had to wait for the trucks to pass by, just because I want to see the object I was working on. The sweeping truck was back and forth at least 10 times in front of ...

So quiet and empty, I felt lost and confused while driving on the the same road in the same town. Everywhere looks much better without traffic doesn't it? I really like this little historical place, very paintable. Did a quick sketch, but it didn't help to lock my painting into a better composition. What I enjoyed painting directly on the paper with my watercolor brush without drawing, so my painting came out loose. Happy Labor Day! Hard to believe it is the beginning of September already. Hope everyone enjoy today and have a great month!

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.