7 Emerging Contemporary Artists From Portland, Oregon

Jordan Domont is a storyboard and fine artist living and working in Portland, Oregon. He’s partnered with a range of high-profile clients to create exciting, on-brand imagery and storylines while producing a personal collection of paintings on the side as well. His artwork and illustrations have been featured in numerous publications and on gallery walls, unique in their intense and fearless use of color and innovative techniques. He’s known for layering ink onto Mylar in a way that produces “a rich, almost melted effect.” As a result, he’s a go-to choice for celebrity portraiture projects, for instance [David Lynch pictured below], as well as various commissions. Follow him on Instagram.

Judy Wise has been living in Portland, Oregon since the late ’70s when she attended Portland State University before moving on to the Pacific Northwest College of Art to pursue painting. Over the past years, she’s taught and exhibited across Portland and the world, from Spain and the Netherlands to Australia and Mexico. Her work is abstract and often has a frenzied quality. “I paint chaos and then try to bring order to that chaos,” she says. “Sometimes it works, often it does not.” Wise is not afraid of imperfection, trusting her creative process above all else to produce powerful and emotive works of art again and again. Keep up to date on her Instagram.

Mostly self-taught, Christine Joy has been painting almost all of her life. Working in watercolor, oil, and acrylic, Joy creates a steady output of bright and beautiful landscapes, waterscapes, and cityscapes. A studio art graduate of nearby George Fox University, Joy now lives in Portland, which means all the wonders of the Pacific Northwest are right at her fingertips—and they shine through in painting after painting from this prolific full-time artist. The young creative also teaches the craft, frequently submits her work to competitions and shows, and specializes in creating customized and commissioned paintings as well. See more of her work on Instagram.
A post shared by christine joy (@christinejoypaintings) on May 17, 2017 at 3:48pm PDT

Ruth Shively casts a spell with graphite on paper and oil on canvas. Originally from Nebraska, and by way of Paris and New York, she’s made Portland, Oregon home. Inspired by artists such as Egon Schiele, Lucian Freud, and Neil Welliver and driven by a background in drawing and illustration—she received her BFA from the University of Nebraska—Shivley’s work tends to focus on the human form and facial features. Her portraits give off a sense of magical realism, constructed by a looser style met with careful composition and color choices. Her work has been on display in many solo and group exhibitions. Follow her on Instagram to see more of her art.

Born in Canton, China, Yong Hong Zhong came to the U.S. as a 12-year-old and quickly developed an interest in drawing. He received a first-rate arts education at New York City’s LaGuardia High School and Pratt Institute, and after an illustrious career in animation—working with the likes of MTV and the Walt Disney Company—decided to devote himself entirely to his true passion: painting. Zhong now lives and paints in Portland, having moved to Oregon in part for the stunning surroundings [Portland’s Mount Tabor Park is pictured below]. His watercolor portraits and natural landscapes display a keen mastery of his craft, earning him multiple awards and exhibitions. For more of Zhong’s work, find him on Instagram.

A prolific abstract artist and social media maven, Paulette Insall has 32.8 thousand Instagram followers and counting. Her mission? To deliver a dose of beauty to her audience each and every day—and to her clients on a regular basis. Insall’s artwork is in private collections around the world, and she prides herself on being able to completely transform an interior with one of her creations. “I believe beauty is necessary, serving as an invitation to savor life and a way to experience a sense of the eternal,” she says. “My intent is to make art that stirs the soul and connects us not only to the human experience but also to what lies beyond our sight.”
A post shared by Paulette Insall 🎨 Abstract Art (@pauletteinsall) on May 20, 2017 at 11:00am PDT