“There’s no replacement for just painting,” says William Park. “If it works, great. Go on and paint. If it doesn’t, great. Go on and paint.” Park has been a fixture in Portland’s visual art scene for three decades. A prolific, intuitive painter, he uses unrehearsed abstract brushstrokes to trigger unexpected moments on canvas that he compliments with a master draftsman’s skill. His paintings and prints echo the real world of human figures, crashing ocean waves, bowls, birds and more, while at the same time flowing with spontaneity.

In this interview, we toured his beautiful studio and talked about big things—from what he does when he’s stuck on a painting to a major life-altering event from which he is still recovering.

Park’s next solo show opens April 6, 2023, at Laura Vincent Design and Gallery, Portland. Find his work here and here.