Original Art Stories - Xueling Zou

Last Saturday, October 10 was George's birthday, I brought this double portrait on a wet canvas finished only the night before to his booth at the local Farmer's Market. A big surprise for him! Everyone was happy, his two sons and a lady named Nami worked there, and some people who happened to be at the market at that time. George gave me a big beautiful bouquet of flowers. I felt satisfied by my effort. George and his wife were immigrants from Japan, raised their granddaughter Aika like their own daughter. Aika wanted me to paint a portrait for George's birthday. She told me that she loved both of them deeply. I was very grateful to get both Aika and Nami's trust, no matter what obstacles I would face, I must finish a decent portrait for them. It was only a one-week deadline for the commissioned work. Aika's grandparents were busy working, barely had decent photos together. I found that out after our agreement to paint an 11 inch by 14 inches oil painting, but actu...

2020 Day8 What a busy day staying at home! Thought about how to create an auspicious work for the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year - the Year of Rat. Actually I had been thinking about it since last Christmas. I used to be very good and fast when I worked as a graphic/web designer a long time ago... I had forgotten how much I had to go through with the design process, it made my head ache. Focused on the limited items I had, using traditional colors, meaningful symbols, and symmetrical layout. I enlarged an ancient coin, which means prosperity, wrote Fu, Lu, Shou and Xi, those mean Luck, Prosperity, Longevity and Happiness on the coin in an ancient writing style. I only had one little rat, so I drew one, then flipped it to draw it again on the other side, made them look like they are communicating to each other by changing the shapes slightly, so one looks like a male, the other a female. They could be a couple, lovers or love at first sight. My most challenging part was to draw tw...

There are more than one million visitors that have viewed my art. Have you? @https://about.me/xuelingzou "In solitude the passions feed upon the heart."  - Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton "Art starts alone – and convinces society later." - Douglas Davis Why do I love the old songs so much? Do you? "The Sound of Silence": I first listened to it without knowing enough English words back when I was still in China. It always brings me so many memories, especially during the holiday season. I just love this song, because of the solitude of my life being an artist, and with sensitivity... It takes the courage to be there for sure! Belows are the two links of the song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zLfCnGVeL4 https://www.facebook.com/maya.huynh?fref=ts Attached the lyrics: Hello darkness, my old friend, I've come to talk with you again, Because a vision softly creeping, Left its seeds while I was sleeping, And the vision that was planted in my br...

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...

"Seven Daffodils"was one of the few English songs I heard back when I still lived in China. I really enjoyed listening to it and dreamed about it... Now, I just finished this original oil painting on canvas for sale, 36"x24"x1.5, ©xueling zou. (Please click the image to enlarge) Daffodils bloom in spring time, come in a variety of colors, shapes, and sizes of flowers and are always surprising me, though they look very simple. The question was which type I should choose for creating the painting, I did research online, the results came out in countless numbers. Well, I decided to focus on creativity. Hope you will like this original painting in the impressionist style to express the feeling on a beautiful Easter morning... In China, we celebrate the Lunar New Year by displaying auspicious symbols. Daffodils, also water narcissus (水仙花) are one of the most popular flowers important for representing prosperity in Chinese New Year. We believed that if th...

For celebrating Chinese Valentine's Day, sharing a copy "Two Lovers" - one of Van Gogh's masterpieces, which I painted ten years ago. 七夕節快樂! 分享10年前我臨摹梵谷的作品"一對恋人". Please visit for more original art @  xueling-zou.artistwebsites.com/ The Qixi Festival (Chinese: 七夕節) is Chinese Valentine's Day which is on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month in the Chinese calendar. The general tale is about the 7th daughter Zhinü (織女) of Emperor of Heaven and an orphaned cowherd Niulang (牛郎 ). Their love was not allowed, thus they were banished to opposite sides of the Silver River (symbolizing the Milky Way). Once a year, on the 7th day of the 7th lunar month, all the magpies would form a bridge to reunite the lovers for one day.

Have you ever experienced a long distance relationship? Or to understand each other heart to heart. Could it really be that distance makes the heart grow fonder? I created this painting to answer those questions. Happy Valentine's Day! O never say that I was false of heart Sonnet 109 by William Shakespeare O, never say that I was false of heart, Though absence seemed my flame to qualify. As easy might I from my self depart As from my soul which in thy breast doth lie. That is my home of love; if I have ranged, Like him that travels I return again, Just to the time, not with the time exchanged, So that myself bring water for my stain. Never believe though in my nature reigned All frailties that besiege all kinds of blood, That it could so preposterously be stained To leave for nothing all thy sum of good; For nothing this wide universe I call Save thou, my rose, in it thou art my all

"If you are lucky enough to have lived in Paris as a young man, then wherever you go for the rest of your life it stays with you, for Paris is a movable feast." - Ernest Hemingway We traveled to Paris 15 years ago. Captured so little using a Kodak 1st generation digital camera. This trip re-directed my life, I re-picked up my paint brush after my early teens...

I think I am quite lucky that I have already found my passion in life - painting and creating art. This is the only thing I do not want missing no matter what happens. One day I had this idea in mind, so I used red color to describe the awful pain expanding over my body that I have experienced recently, especially during the time I sleep. Concentrating on painting this piece for hours like normal, I forgot to eat and even drink water. After it was done, the name naturally came to me "Dream Big", Yes, I encourage myself and do not let anything destroy my passion! Suddenly, I discovered that painting helped me forget my pain surprisingly. Really true - my passion has become my most natural pain killer during the time I created this piece! It seems that there are always some obstacles in the course of life. I've always reminded myself that I should believe in myself and I would create a master piece after going through these first. But unlike anything else before,...

This is an unfinished still life painting in honor of my father, I painted for to express the hidden emotions that I wished to express on many Father's Days past. The desk no longer exists.  My father made it for me when I was in primary school, and painted with our favorite color blue.  I studied, reading books on this desk till I started high school, also learn drawing and painting for a short while. This painting is from a childhood memory - heavy and painful, clear and cloudy all in one breath. There are two bamboo pen stands my father carved with his beautiful calligraphy, the smallest one was made for me with his words of love and wish.  The bamboo flute in the stand was my father's instrument that he played once for a while when he was alive.  Luckily, I still have those objects with me. My father hand carved the two bamboo pen stands.  The smallest one was for me with loving words and best wishes inscribed upon it.  The bamboo flute was my fath...

(Please click the image to enlarge) The magpie, xi que, a bird symbolizing great joy, can appear in these forms: plum blossom is said to be a sign of good luck, friendship and happiness. Two magpies, shuang xi 双喜(囍), symbolized the wish that you find each other in joy. Chinese use both words and a pair of magpies symbols for wedding, anniversary and business success. The rebus of a magpie depicted at the top of a branch has the meaning of happiness before your face," or xi shang mei shao 喜上眉梢. If you would like to know more about magpies, please visit: http://originalartstories.blogspot.com/2013/02/happy-lunar-new-year-painting-with.html

Let's celebrate the Year of Goat/Sheep with your family/friends and the loved ones, wish you all HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR filled with Love, Health , Happiness , Prosperity and Peace! Have a great year! 半醒半梦半逍遣, 半俗半乐半过年......

This is my original digital image I created for all the people who love my artworks. Wish all of you have the best year of 2015! Everyone knows about the story of Santa's Stocking since childhood. We all have had different wishes at the different period of time, from the reality to a dream or dreams. What are yours? For this coming up 2015, I wish peace, love, health and happiness for all the people in this world I know. I hope that this image I created could bring you all your wishes and dreams from the Santa's Magic Stocking! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to You all!

I would love to introduce some Chinese symbols to my viewers through my paintings. Here is a still life I painted entitled "Sunflowers and Lizard". Lizard (蜥蜴 or 壁虎; ) Lizards tend to be active at night. For that reason the ancients felt that they were symbolic of protection from the hidden things in life. So a lizard is more than an animal it is a symbol of luck and vision. Lizards are also fast on their feet and can escape predators much larger than themselves. Ancestors said and noted these special qualities. Ruyi (如意; rúyì) What this means in Chinese is "as one wishes you wish". A ruyi is a long curved ceremonial sceptre used in Chinese Buddhism that symbolizes power and good fortune in countless Chinese stories. It can take the shape of a lingzhi mushroom, a cloud, a first or other representation that symbolizes power. There are nearly 3000 ruyi that are variously made from valuable materials like gold, silver, iron, bamboo, wood, ivory, coral, rhinoceros ...

I didn't paint for almost half a year, not sure what kind of mood blocked me... Actually, I wanted to do it, still had a lot of great ideas, but felt it not easy to focus, or might have been there was some interruption going on... I was told that some artists went through this kind of period, could be shorter or longer... So, I did not worry too much, and waited until I finally finished this still life painting. It really took me for a longer time to finish the painting, but I am glad that I could paint again! At the same time, I found my most earliest still life painting which I did when I was a child without any art instruction... It still surprised me that I painted it purely, directly from what I saw, not from how I felt. I really believe now that II have grown up and older... LOL...

My First, My Last, My Valentine by Sokea Meas I've never imagined that there can be this day. A day that love will find its way. Out of my heart and into your soul. These feelings I have are beyond my control. All my life I have waited patiently. For a goddess like you, so beautiful, so lovely. Words can't express the way I feel. These feelings towards you are all for real. You are the reason why I go on. Eternity can't separate this special bond. This heart of mine is reserved for you. Forever it is yours, this love is true. I'll be your first and you'll be my last. My world, my everything, till my time has past. I will always love you until the end of time. MY LOVE, MY SWEETHEART, MY VALENTINE! More images at: http://xueling-zou.artistwebsites.com/featured/hope-love-life-happiness-xueling-zou.html http://xueling-zou.artistwebsites.com/featured/1-with-all-my-heart-xueling-zou.html http://xueling-zou.artistwebsites.com/featured/a-pink-ros...

Chinese New Year is one of the most important traditional holidays and is celebrated on the first day of the year of the Chinese calendar (lunisolar). In China, it is also known as the Spring Festival, or "Lunar New Year". 2014 is the Year of Green Wood Horse in the Chinese zodiac related to the Chinese calendar, starts on January 31. Like many other cultures, horse is one of Chinese favorite animals, horse is not only a symbol of traveling, but also a sign of speedy success. The horse is an intelligent animal. Horses need to be trained to become useful to humans. Interestingly, Chinese wouldn't let horses do farm work. Instead, all the farmland jobs go to the ox. This is because Chinese believe that horses can help human to win battles. Sitting on a horses back implies that the person is from a noble or higher ranking family. So people born in the Horse year usually care about their dressing, outlook and speech. So place a horse or many horse symbols around to en...

There are many beautiful portraits that have visually showed us the subject's personality, history and culture.  I think facial expression is another very interesting subject in art.  That is why I love to study it.  I do it differently than some artists who just copying a photo.  I'd rather to know a little bit more about my subject before I start painting.  Here are some some portraits I painted and the stories behind them.  Please visit my online gallery at:  http://xueling-zou.artistwebsites.com/galleries.html to see more. Lady from Bangladesh was the portrait I painted in March 2011. We used to be neighbors for a short while. Her name is Tahmina. She was the mother of three very nice and well-educated boys, with such a sweet character. One early morning, I saw her dressed this lovely traditional pink/magenta sari in the garden, the morning light went through her veil, shining on her face... I went back and grabbed my camera imme...

“What i like about photographs is that they capture a moment that’s gone forever, impossible to reproduce.”   ― Karl Lagerfeld As much as I enjoy painting, photography is one of my favorite things to do.  Not because I have to collect enough images for my original art, also I think digital media gives us more creative space, with such a wide range of tools available for self-expression, we should update our skills, and be creative as much as possible.  So get your camera ready. During shopping time, I carry my camera sometimes too.  I asked this young lady if I could capture a photo of this cute puppy Chihuahua in her hand, of course she was happy and I was able to keep this lovely photo. (Please click the image to enlarge) I was looking for a laundromat when I traveled in Mexico.  These two dogs suddenly were running in front me.  I captured their adventure by holding my camera with one hand, the other hand was still c...

“This was Venice, the flattering and suspect beauty - this city, half fairy tale and half tourist trap, in whose insalubrious air the arts once rankly and voluptuously blossomed, where composers have been inspired to lulling tones of somniferous eroticism.” I am not sure who wrote it, but I felt the same when I was there. There are some my watercolor paintings to express the beauty of Venice: Here is link for viewing my watercolor gallery:  http://xueling-zou.artistwebsites.com/art/all/watercolors Or join me at: FaceBook Instagram Twitter Pinterest