Artist Statement

“A single moment can inspire a million paintings. Strolling down the street, overlooking the ocean, a daydream, a moment, any moment. My work reflects the paths I cross, the light that touches me, the color that speaks to me. The will to create possessed me as a child and has never let go. I paint because I have to paint.”

Biography: 

As a modern day impressionist, Wade Koniakowsky paints the light that falls on his surroundings. Schooled in the traditions of the early California painters, Koniakowsky has studied stroke by stroke the likes of Edgar Payne, William Wendt, Granville Redmond and others. “They were drawn to the light of California with eyes of the French Masters”. This love of the early California painters shaped his compositions and color. “I paint outdoors whenever I can, which is, without a doubt, the best way to absorb the information and inspiration for a significant work. But you also need to know the steps of bringing the outdoors into the studio. That information, whether recorded on canvas panels, a sketch, a photograph or from sheer memory, is the spark that must ignite in the controlled environment of the studio”. Koniakowsky’s work falls generally into 2 categories: California and the tropics. “I love the islands – that atmosphere is very special and very different from California. But being a resident of Southern California, I spend a bit more time painting at home”.


Prior to becoming a full-time painter, Wade spent many years as an advertising art director and graphic designer. His 20-year plus career included creating campaigns for Fortune 500 brands such as Taco Bell, Reebok, McDonald’s, Microsoft, IBM and Quiksilver. In 1995,
he founded Big Bang, an ad agency for film, print and new media with offices in San Diego and Seattle. After winning over 300 creative awards, he returned to his first love: painting. He lives in Carlsbad, California with his wife and daughters.

His work is exhibited in galleries throughout the West and has been selected for the sets of movies and television shows.