Original Art Stories - Xueling Zou

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,...

Today is Andy Warhol's birthday, he was born on August 6, 1928. Unfortunately, he died in 1987, at the age of 58. Some of my artworks were inspired by him. Of course, creating and exploring in a different visual world was challenging, but I really enjoy it! Andy Warhol was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art, who had an incredible life that many still seek to emulate. His works explore the relationship between artistic expression, celebrity culture and advertisement that flourished by the 1960s. After a successful career as a commercial illustrator, Warhol became a renowned and sometimes controversial artist.

Carmen is commonly reputed as the most popular opera ever written. The story is about a Spanish soldier Don José who falls passionately in love with a beautiful Gypsy woman Carmen. José abandons his childhood sweetheart and deserts from his military duties, yet loses Carmen's love to the glamorous toreador Escamillo, after which José kills her in a jealous rage. The depictions of proletarian life, immorality and lawlessness, and the tragic death of the main character on stage. I was moved by the music and so shocked by this tragic love story... I always wanted to express this drama, but how could I create art piece differently than others? So many of them as well... It was very challenge for sure! I knew that I would love to express the rhythm of the music through a flamenco dancer, as well as showing the passion and bravery, also the bull fighting, and the death... Finally, I've finished creating this painting after three-month period time (studied and painted over and o...

"To touch, to move, to inspire. This is the true gift of dance." ― Aubrey Lynch “Ballet is a dance executed by the human soul.” ― Alexander Pushkin “Ballet discipline: only the true believer would suffer the rigors it demanded.” ― Author Unknown  "My hope is to shed light, provoke thought, entertain, and move through dance." ― Dwight Rhoden "Dancers are not great because of their talent...they are great because of their passion" ― Unknown "Striving for connection with the audience is essential because you are in the moment; it is a give and take relationship. Catching someone's eye during a performance makes it more special" ― Aubrey Lynch "The ballet embodies the notes of music. And sometimes you almost feel like you can see the notes dance up there on the stage." ― Robert Caro “You have to love dancing to stick to it. It gives you nothing back, no manuscripts to store away, no paintings to show on walls and maybe hang ...

Struggling through the whole weekend, finally I finished Petko's portrait based on the only one picture I have ever seen of his - his FAA avatar. I hope it could express my thanks to Petko who had made an eight minutes and fifteen seconds long animated slide show with a beautiful music of my oil paintings on Youtube. After I did a search, and I had found out that I was only the one of one hundred eighteen FAA members Petko made such a wonderful work for! Being an artist, I really admire his great work through his FAA online gallery! His painting style is bold and energetic, really represents his passion and devotion to art and to other artists. Now, I feel that I have discovered his incredible soul is much bigger than ordinary artists. I do need some more English language to help express my respect, my honor and my great thanks to him!! Please visit my online gallery at:  http://xueling-zou.artistwebsites.com/   Here is the animated slide show Petko Pemaro made for my o...