Original Art Stories - Xueling Zou

(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.

  (April 13 2021) My allergies bother me, but, could not help myself, got ambitious to paint nearby flowers today. This is not my usual subject, I have to wait another year to paint if I miss it this year. There are several hundred year old wisteria vines in bloom on the arbor designed for the 1822 Mission at the east side of the courtyard at mission Santa Clara. Plus more than ten different kinds of other plants, most were blooming super beautiful this time. I found a corner spot in the morning, lighting was perfect. A couple of years ago I painted here in oils. I needed to test my new Fabriano Artisco watercolor paper. After my small sketch, I drew carefully on this newer version softer paper, didn't feel much difference. Then I was cautiously starting applying watercolors to it. Seemed like it doesn't allow me to make mistakes anymore. Might just be my "psychology issue". So far this new paper works fine for me... Hope it never cause trouble.

Got on Zoom for a minutes sketch - one of my favorite activities since COVID-19. Sketched in this small group of nice and friendly people, I enjoyed the conversations and had fun just being with them through Zoom. Though I have not improved to the level I want. Sometimes I might listen or chat too much and easily forget what I'm doing, and slow down my sketching speed. Really want to learn the new combinations - listen, chat and sketch all together at the same time, hahaha...

( Apr 9, 2021 ) In the morning I thought that I should go out to paint since my allergies didn't bother me too much. Arrived on location a little bit later than usual, instantly saw two people painting there, they were a mother painting watercolor and a teenage daughter painting in oil. I did one painting last November, and didn't like it. No hesitation, set up my station nearby the spot last year where I painted. I didn't realize that I was under a huge blooming tree, and at the entrance of the path from parking lot to main visiting area. More people were coming and leaving, mostly kids, I guessed they were on their spring breaks. A young girl about five years old stood next to me when my painting was half way done, she kept asking if I finished it or not... Then the leaves and flowers kept falling off the tree around me and my nose started running. Ignored it, I had my mask on. View my two paintings, not sure if I had made a little improvement yet? (November 12 , 2020 )  

Planned to go to Golden Gate Park to paint but it didn't happened. Drove in a different direction, tried to find an old place to Plein Air a couple of times, but I missed the road and had to u-turn back, I instantly stopped and painted this red barn. I was so glad that I found it by mistake, a very quiet road in this peaceful countryside, only the neighbors' dog barked several times at me. Saw a beautiful cow was having nap on the way back, but caught the road work traffic on the way home.

Joined a quick sketch in Zoom half way through. Wanted to get vaccinated, but could not find a vacant spot through the internet. Forgot about it, happy to draw out that frustration, happened that everyone had a hat on that day, interesting. Kept practice was more important!

It was a beautiful Easter Friday, I thought that I should paint something related to the Easter spirit. Suddenly I remembered that I wanted to painting this old historic building each time I passed by for many years.  Drove to the location, just couldn't find a good angle in front of the Adult School to set up.  Either it was in the drive way, too close to it.  There was a bus stop there, I saw the building angle I wanted to paint, but I had to see it through through a honey comb kind of block wall.  It was challenging, I had to walk a couple steps to see better because there was a young tree, a car and a trash can all in a row, not to mention the "bee hive" wall.  Well, it took me a little bit longer, but I did it on this lovely Easter Day.  (April 2 2021)

Another gorgeous day. I drove over 100 miles to paint boats. I had to take a thicker jacket off to change a thinner one at the location. Walked around and found these two white boats that were different than all the fishing boats. Also I could be in the shade of a big tree. Struggling through with composition, colors and value, then worked in details. About 80 degrees around noon, no wind. Would be back to paint for sure. Definitely there were more cars on the road. -- March 31 2021

Beautiful morning on location. Looked like everything was back to normal. Every time I feel lost to choose a boat to paint. Took a while to find one on the pier. Set up my painting station, but it was not early any longer. Felt hot in the sun, and used my Plein Air umbrella. People passing by complemented my work. Even a group of school boys kept saying "Bravo! "Thanks for all the encouragement. Suddenly it became very windy, first it blew my umbrella down, I screwed it down a couple of times. But I stood on the pier with nothing to block the strong wind. So I used my arm to hold my umbrella steady. Then the wind kept blowing little items off my painting station, like testing paper, small brush etc.. Almost finished my painting, I tried very hard to draw lines, but my station was shaking in the wind. Had to pack and leave. Finished the rest details at home.  --March 30

First time I came to this location to paint this weekend. My husband joined so he could hike. Happened to meet up with a weekend Plein Air group painting at the same place. Beautiful day, spring has finally arrived. Good thing that I finished a small sketch and the drawing before more people arrived. Didn't know how popular this place was! Even though we all still had masks on, it was very busy, seemed like no COVID-19 existed there. Saw a customer arriving on horseback, it really brought me back to over 160 year ago when the restaurant was just founded.  But only the person wore the modern cloths. And then a truck blocked my painting subject for quite a long time. Limited my color palette. Will surely come back again to paint, but not on a weekend.  -- March 27