Original Art Stories - Xueling Zou

Today I was supposed to meet up and paint with other artists near the La Honda Open Space Preserve parking lot #22. But there were several road work construction projects on the way, not mention it was a narrow curvy road, and bike people were on the same road too. Not sure if the Google map or my car GPS wasn't clear on the directions, but I got lost many times before around #280 and in the mountains etc. not today. I knew I was late, so I decided to paint at a red barn that was on the way, which I wanted to paint it for years. Painted under my hatchback for a little bit shade, looked through the fence to the red barn, I was a little bit short to see the whole scene. And discover a died dead deer's body, poor thing, felt sorry about it... Weather was 10 degree cooler, about 70. I've painted many barns, today I painted it smaller and focused on the landscape instead of architecture. Though I didn't meet the others, I was peacefully painting alone by using a high ...

(April 21 2021) Not like last week, only 50 degrees at the location. Very cold to paint watercolors, the paper refused to dry. And not to mention that I tried to painted too much detail for a Plein Air work. Really should simplify what was there. Maybe it would look better if only I did a greyscale. Good thing was I had no allergies to bother me today at Half Moon Bay.  Drove back, it was 70 degrees.

(April 14 2021) A gorgeous day at the location, even my allergies didn't bother me much. Got there and walked around, there was a red barn, a horse barn and horse trailers with horses in and out, chicken coop with roosters and hens, a mustard field and distant mountains. They were all nice subjects for painting, but I had to make a quick decision before the light changed too much, So I painted this red barn, and replaced the further broken fences in front. I probably could design a better composition that will work better... Next time, I will be back for sure.

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...

2020 Day2 Have you been to the Red Barn at Stanford? Do you know it was a horse farm that produced champion racehorses before Stanford became a world class university? My first time visiting and painting at the location. It was a beautiful day, I brought a very young Chinese artist friend with me. We met at a watercolor event in Shanghai where she was from last year. She came to visit her relatives in Silicon Valley. She told me that it was her first time being so close to real horses. The barns were very clean and well-organized, and the horses were gentle and well trained. I painted one landscape, she did a couple of sketches. I took a selfie with a super cooperated horse, seemed that she really enjoyed posing, lol... We learned that now the Stanford Red Barn is home to the Stanford Equestrian Team, the Stanford Red Barn Equestrian Center, and their affiliated programs. Definitely I will be back to paint again for sure.

First time painting at the Winchester Mystery House, San Jose, CA. I've passed by it countless times, never thought it was an interesting place to paint. Actually, not only it was worth a visit, it is also a beautiful spot - a gorgeous mansion surrounded by lovely landscape. It was cold in the morning, but the light and shadows in winter had become unique shapes and contrasts. I would like to go back to paint again as today, I didn't paint the main building.

There was an old beautiful red barn located on Tennant Avenue, Morgan Hill. My first time painting at the location. it was over 80 degrees I believe, standing next to a mint field, smelt the fragrance of the herb, felt I was overdressed. Also the Red Barn was too big and too close to paint. After I did the first painting, I started drawing a couple of Mexican working guys collecting mints in the field through the broken plastic greenhouse window. Suddenly, they had all gone, It was noon already their lunch break. So I painted a tractor in front of the distant hills. I'm not going to share that painting here though. (Updating from September 17, 2018)