Original Art Stories - Xueling Zou

Happy Chinese Lunar New Year! Year of the Ox. Today is the second day of the Ox year. I delivered two of my original oil paintings to a home in Palo Alto where a couple collected them. They were excited to show where the painting would be hanging. They said they would frame them, but two photos were sent to my smart phone before I arrived home to show me how happy they were. Both my paintings I did in year of 2012, and I read the story I wrote, looking back, I wasn't happy, depressed back then. "San Francisco Moments" https://originalartstories.blogspot.com/2012/10/san-francisco-charming-city.html My original painting "Summer Stroll by a Cafe" can be view here: https://xueling-zou.pixels.com/featured/summer-stroll-by-a-cafe-xueling-zou.html It took me years for healing myself. Lucky I have my art, and I think that I have changed after doing Plein Air, the beautiful landscape of California really helps in settling down my heart here.

Got to love it, there was no traffic driving from south bay to the city. A gorgeous day, no wind, my first time painting there with one of my photographer friends. But the Golden Gate Bridge was under maintenance... Such a beautiful spot, every angle I could paint. My friend took some photos while I was working and I didn't notice, after I found a bird flying over my head. She told me that she was waiting for that moment for a while. We had great time together. I must go back again.

Gorgeous day, surprised that it was not crowded with such inspiring scenery on a Sunday, though it was a bit windy. Struggled to paint the rocks. Suddenly a young boy jumped next to me and he told me my painting was amazing. That always feels encouraging when an artist was trying to figure out what to do. Wind was getting stronger, the waves started to splash onto my easel and me, which I took as a message to stop.  (April 21 2019)

My newly finished original oil painting on canvas, 36"x24"x1.5", "Jazz San Francisco", was inspired by Blues and Jazz musicians and their soulful music! I posted a basic drawing on Facebook before (https://www.facebook.com/zxling1). I am very lucky to live in the Bay Area, California.  Each year we could join many Music or Art and Wine Festivals.  We could experience the all kinds music or see many styles of art from all over the world and from the locals.  Being a part of the audience at many shows, I think Blues and Jazz music are the best.   The musicians could let us feel their souls from their beautiful and expressive playing or singing.  Slowly, I get to know more and deeper. Still, I remember that I didn't like the life here for a long time.  I was so disappointed and expressed it through my artwork "San Francisco Moments", which I created in 2012.  Far away from family and friends.  It seems that no-one could really understood ...

San Francisco is an international landmark city which has its own charms attracting visitors from all over the world. It is only about 40 miles from Silicon Valley where I live to the city - about a 45 minutes drive without traffic. There are not enough train lines here like on the east coast, so, most of us have to consider about the highway traffic. This is the main reason that the life style in Silicon Valley has totally changed me. Living in the valley for over 11 years now, I have been to San Francisco countable times. Each visit, I felt that I never had enough fun, though the weather was never predictable. There are many houses - like painted ladies and skyscrapers; there are many advertisements, signs going up and down, following the hills. I love to visit museums, MOMA, De Young, Legion of Honor, Asian Art, even the California Academy of Sciences. I enjoyed the shows in the Opera House, all kinds of delicious food, a rich variety of restaurant choices. Walking around Lombar...