Meet Willie Kunkel

An award-winning artist, Willie is a man of many hats and even more paintbrushes, whose art is inspired by his wide-ranging interests and travels. Growing up in rural Washington State, Willie found inspiration in the orchards of the Okanogan Valley and the rolling wheat fields of the Palouse Hills. While working at the Pacific Science Center, his ferry commute inspired paintings of Puget Sound, Mt. Rainier, and the Seattle skyline. Working as a sleigh-ride host in Colorado, he sketched the snowy mountains and sunsets of Crested Butte. As a club promoter in Chengdu, he spent his off-hours practicing Chinese ink painting. Finally, while tutoring science in Taipei, Willie began selling paintings and taking commissions, turning his longtime hobby into a secondary career.

Willie is also an avid photographer, a skill he first developed while working as a marine biologist in the Bering Sea. A decade later, while teaching high school math in Arizona, he once again turned a hobby into something more, doing professional portrait work in his spare time. In addition to portraits, Willie loves cityscapes (especially at night), looming water towers, and nature photography.

Often, his art and photography go hand-in-hand, one inspiring the other. Many of the birds you see in Willie’s paintings come straight from his camera.

Currently working as an emergency nurse in Maryland, Willie is excited to connect with the art community here--showing his work, taking commissions, and offering lessons. He loves working with people, and the more he can make art a collaborative project, the better.