Yong Hong Zhong was born in Canton, China and immigrated to the United States when he was twelve years old. Yong developed a keen interest in drawing at an early age. He attended La Guardia High School, a prestigious school for music and arts in New York City. and later at Pratt Institute in New York. He majored in Illustration and has a minor in Art History.

He worked for MTV Animation Studios as a storyboard artist and later at the Walt Disney Company where he worked on featured films.

While at Disney, Yong had the opportunity to work and learn from many talented artists. The changes and demands in the animation industry from traditional 2D films to 3D films have also broadened his versatility and proficiency in various production softwares. Over the past 14 years, he has refined his skills in story telling, color and composition. The knowledge and experiences he acquired from the animation industry continue to be an invaluable influence in his art.

Yong takes inspiration from many different forms of art but none has more influence on him than the early California impressionists. His subject matter varies from landscape to portrait to still life.

He currently lives in Portland with his wife and two sons.