The ocean is my muse. The warmth, color and atmosphere of the tropics are the soul of my paintings.
-Wade Koniakowsky

Wade Koniakowsky is a product of the coastal lifestyle, mixing surfing and painting in a daily ritual. “Surfing and art are my Yin and Yang - each feeding and inspiring the other”. A surfer since 1966, Wade has developed a deep reservoir of ocean-inspired imagery. Through his tropical “dreamscapes”, one can lose the tensions of every life and escape to a distant shore.  

As an advertising art director, Wade’s 25-year career included 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 and print and new media with offices in San Diego and Seattle. After winning over 300 creative awards, his focus shifted to the creation of fine art. Wade lives in Encinitas, California with his wife and daughters and manages a gallery in the prestigious Cedros Design District of Solana Beach.


Wade is a founding member of Surfing Artists International, published and distributed globally by Bruce McGaw Graphics. His work has been selected for the sets of movies and television shows. His work has been on display in Surfing Museums in Hawaii, California, Florida and Texas.