The Art of Wade

Wade Johnston is a skilled artist who started his professional career as a geologist. With only a handful of art classes through high school and college, he was primarily self taught until he moved to Maui in 2007. While there, he developed the artistic style that defines his work that can be found at Lumpy Ridge Brewing Co. and elsewhere.

Once he left Maui, he chose Denver as his next stop and he scored an apprenticeship as a tattoo artist. The next seven years of Johnston’s life were consumed by the tattoo industry. He gained priceless knowledge, inspiration and capital. That experience would serve him well after he met Nick Smith, owner and brewmaster of Lumpy Ridge Brewing Company in Estes Park. He designed the artwork for the new brewery and hit it off with Smith. Before he knew it, Smith had brought Johnston in as a partial owner at Lumpy Ridge. Luckily, Johnston was looking to transition out of the tattoo industry, and saw this as the perfect opportunity. 

As an accomplished artist and co-owner of a brewery, Johnston says he is “living and playing out my childhood dreams in real time.” He said he could not be happier with the way things have panned out.