Original Art Stories - Xueling Zou

My second visit to this old historic town in three days! A lady was watering all the plants, she guided me through the beautiful garden to find an open restroom. Everything was very peaceful in the morning. Met several local artists and several from different places, even one originally from the UK, Another was here from Missouri to visit her son. One used to live near Berkeley area with her beautiful and friendly dog Coco. I found a spot started with my small sketch nearby Coco. Overdressed again, had to take off one layer. This town has a lot succulents and cactus, so I used my imagination to replace the tree on the right with a large cactus After my work was finished, I notice the old tree I wanted to take a better photo of two days ago, but it was halfway cut down, found out sadly that it was dead. Definitely there were more cars on the road. Hope they were all good sign to prove that covid-19 is under control....   (March 24 2021)

Drove over 100 miles to paint with other artists on location. It was gray and cold in the morning, hard to believe it is past the middle of March. We still need to turn the heater inside the house. But the sun came out after I arrived. My first time visiting this quiet and historic small town. Felt so peaceful and could hear rooster crowing, can't even remember when was the last time I heard that. Might forget how to paint a on cold days, Used a little too much water, it took longer time to dry, but I was patient enough to wait. Might forget how to be creative, not very happy to paint the tree towards the opposite side of the building. Several artists came by to say Hi while painting. Spent a little bit time walking around after. Some small businesses had opened, and a few people in the town, but it was only Monday. Would like to come back to paint more, only a little but far. No traffic to go, but a little traffic going home. I guess that it is a good sign that everything is start...

A few sketches I did when traveling on the train in Spain weeks ago. I really enjoyed people watching there, wish everyone could be my model. Today I planned to paint at the San Mateo Memorial Park. My car GPS didn't give the location, I only could follow Google maps, started all in red on the high way 280. Turned on the route 84, everything looked so beautiful through the dappled sunlight, especially all the tall redwoods. I enjoyed driving on the winding roads, thought that my driving skill has definitely improved since I had started doing Plein Air. An accidentally-killed dead deer's half body was left on the roadside. Inside the mountains, Google maps asked to make U turns a couple times, I knew I hadn't arrived, didn't follow. It was my first time to be at this location and I finally arrived to a sign announcing that the park was closed due to a high fire situation. Bummer... Of course it was reasonable since the Sonoma big fire hasn't been put down yet. ...

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...

This was the boy I captured and planned to paint in 2009 during my first visit to Argentina without speaking a single Spanish word. After landing in the beautiful old colonial architecture city, which has a natural scenery of the valleys westward - Salta located in northwestern Argentina, we were exhausted and starving, could not wait for most of the restaurants opened at 7PM. When travelling, we love to follow local people to try their really traditional food. Walking around the city, we found this small Empanadas Restaurant was full of local people in the very center of the downtown. Quickly we decided to give a try. We just learned how to order water, hadn't had learnt to count in Spanish yet. Most of families were sitting together eating there on this late of a Saturday afternoon. A young boy - about eight or nine years old immediately ran in front of us to take our order after we just sat down. I pointed at the other table's food, and showed my fingers one by one. We...