B4
THE ASTORIAN • TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2021
Painter delights in Northwest landscape
By JAMIE HALE
The Oregonian
There are a lot of ways to enjoy nature in the Pacifi c
Northwest. You can go hiking, mountain biking or trail
running. There’s kayaking, white water rafting and rock
climbing.
Or you can break out an easel and some brushes to paint.
The process of painting landscapes outside was embraced
18th century French artists, who called the process painting
en plein air, or outdoors. Today, that method is practiced
around the world, and is beloved by many Pacifi c North-
west artists who have no shortage of beautiful landscapes
to choose from.
Yong Hong Zhong is one such artist, an Oregon-based
watercolor painter who fi nds great joy in connecting with
nature through the tip of a paintbrush. Setting up an easel
outside, digging his toes into the dirt, he can immerse him-
self into the landscape that he’s painting, an experience he
said results in not just better paintings but a more rewarding
experience all around.
“A lot of times we just focus on hiking and not having
a lot of time to slow down and really enjoy being in that
moment,” Zhong said. “So the plein air painting really just
slows you down, to stay in one location and take an hour
or two just to paint that location. You can really sense the
mood, the feelings of that location.”
“It’s like you walk past a rose garden … and then you
turn around and you see how that beautiful light hits the
rose, and then the petal is semi-transparent and the light’s
going through it,” he said. “These are the things I fi nd in life
that I want to be able to share with people. It could be just a
pebble on the ground, but because the light hits it a certain
way, it makes you look at things on a more deeper level.”
Plein air painting can be a radical act in slowing down,
especially when it’s done in places where people are usu-
ally rushing around.
Photos by Yong Hong Zhong
TOP LEFT: Yong Hong Zhong in his Lake Oswego studio. TOP
RIGHT: Zhong is an Oregon-based watercolor painter who left
a career of animation to paint landscapes around the Pacifi c
Northwest. ABOVE: One of Zhong’s most recent plein air
paintings from around the Portland area.
That applies to the many trails that run through
outdoor recreation areas in the Pacifi c Northwest, places
where Zhong especially loves to set up his easel. And
while he’s visited many scenic destinations around the
region, the painter has a clear favorite: the Columbia
River Gorge.
“I’ve done a three-month road trip around the perim-
eter of this country, and I still think the Columbia gorge
is by far one of the best locations to paint,” he said. “All
the diff erent terrain, the waterfalls — it’s just incredible.
We’re so, so lucky to be here in Portland and have access
to all this beauty around us.”
For some, connecting with nature through the tip of
a paintbrush might seem out of reach, something only a
“real artist” can achieve. Zhong couldn’t disagree more.
He is adamant that plein air painting is open to anyone
with the desire to do it — though he said it might be wise
to work your way up.
Those looking to take a fi rst step should get a
sketchbook and just start sketching whenever you’re
outdoors and feel so inspired, Zhong said. From there,
you can graduate to adding color with a basic watercolor
set, and once you’ve gained more comfort, you can invest
in some pricier art supplies, like better brushes, paints and
an easel.
“If you want to give it a try, just keep drawing and
don’t worry about the end result in the beginning,” he
said. “Enjoy the process of creating art.”
Zhong acknowledged that plein air painting isn’t for
everyone, although those who give it a try may fi nd them-
selves rewarded with a rich experience, and a deeper con-
nection to the natural world.
“You can look at a photograph of a location; it is not the
same when you are actually stepping into nature,” Zhong
said. “You can feel the water, you can feel the breeze, the
sun. I mean all those things you cannot appreciate just by
looking at a photograph or watching a video clip.”
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