But Zhao tends to apply heavy colors in his pictures to show his strong affection for nature and life. At the same time, he largely preserves the brushwork and compositions of traditional freehand ink creations.

Yellow River Waves

"Chinese ink painting is about showing the spirit and essence of things. Various styles and forms can be used to express your true feelings for the world," Zhao said, explaining why he developed his colorful style.

"Life is the source of art," he said, adding that comprehension comes from keen observation.

King of Birds

With that guiding principle, Zhao once traveled thousands of kilometers to the Yellow River Stone Forest, a national geological park in Lanzhou, Gansu province, eight times in a single year.

"What I try to do in all my life is to look for the true beauty in nature that is often so transient. So I have to keep exploring and experimenting with forms of expression," said Zhao. He noted some of his works took years to complete and were modified time and time again.

Winter Snow

The efforts paid off. His artwork, especially the Yellow River Stone Forest series, is highly praised by critics and fellow artists.