Original Art Stories - Xueling Zou

Gorgeous and warm day. Painted at Saratoga Heritage Orchard next to the library. Finally spring came, though there was frost on roof this morning. Beautiful apricot and cherry trees just start blooming. I have allergies and have to cover myself well outdoors. Some nice people came by to talk to me while I was painting. Thought I could paint more than one, but the allergies had made me tired... Please view this video I made that there was a coyote there before I started painting in the morning.

Raining for days, working @ my studio... Finally my old color palette is fallen apart. First, the 2 lids were broken, one was the lid of the container, and the other one was for covering the paints area. Then the side of the box was broken. So I glued everything back together. I have been using it on and off at studio and outdoors at least 15 years I believe. Though I had bought a few different palettes, still this is my most favorite one, functional and light in weight. I don't need too many colors, and I love it has large and deep area holding each color, it is just the simple right size for me. This time I won't able to glue everything back again unfortunately, have to let it go... My new order is on the way...

First time I came to this park. Unfortunately, the road inside the park was closed. There was too much rain recently, I guess. I didn't want to give it up though so I found a neighborhood that looked interesting to paint on the outside road. That was what I did today, not easy in a gray day though. Usually I would bring the masking fluid and salt. I didn't have them with me today so I had to paint carefully. But I am not sure if I like the result. Only thing that I'm sure of is to keep doing it.

It was a gray, cold and rainy day. Went to a local artist's house for painting. It was a beautiful property with gorgeous landscaping. Hard to make a decision where to paint... Painted from this angle, I could imagine if it were a sunny day, the light and shadows could make a big difference. My watercolor refused to dry, so I had to stop... And we had a delicious lunch there. Thanks very much for such great hospitality!

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.

Cold early morning, about 35 degrees, went to the South Bay Yacht Club for outdoor painting. I always love to paint boats. But I painted a landscape today instead, just because we rarely see snowy mountains in Silicon Valley. Felt like I was painting somewhere else. I will go back to that location to paint boats other days for sure.

Raining, windy and cold. Came to draw and paint at one of my favorites places - Pillar Point inside the car. Felt little bit crazy about myself or should be mad at the weather, though, lol...

My last one on the last day of the Strada Easel 31 Day January painting challenge. Yes, I did paint every day, and finished 27( 8"x 6") Garden Still-life Series, plus 4 (11"x 14")landscapes. Not sure how do the other artists feel about it? But it was a great help to me as a self-taught artist, my first time to focusing on a series and painting from life each day, mostly outdoors. I could not imagine after leaving my painting comfort zone that I would draw or paint so many still-life during such a short time period, and it was a big challenge to me! So I think to keep learning, practicing, growing, creating and improving are the goals for my artwork.

Time management day. Didn't prepare to go out Plein Air. In the morning decided to see Sue Johnston's demo in Pleasanton. Thought it was a nice place to Plein Air. So started packing my outdoor painting stuff. There was only an hour before the demo after I arrived. Didn't have enough time to paint, so walked around in the Downtown Pleasanton, took photos for the future painting ideas. Went to the Demo, had learned some nice tips from Sue. She did a wonderful watercolor demo. It was lucky that the traffic was not bad on the way home. Jumped into my backyard, painted this succulent till it was getting dark. Didn't forget my frog, can you see he was smiling? But I was tired.

This is today's effort on my garden series. My first time using alcohol on my work, didn't show anything like the other artists'. How strange? Spring is really here, I couldn't stop sneezing while painting in the backyard. Unfortunately, that means my allergy season, which usually effects my body about half a year. I couldn't enjoy spring outdoors as much as most others; hiding indoors, shutting all the windows... I guess that it is the better time to me working in my studio now. But I didn't forget to express the spring feeling into my succulent painting.