As the son of Hartt Wixom, a well-known outdoor writer and author, Wade spent much of his life in nature. He worked 23 summers guiding Colorado River trips in the Grand Canyon beginning at the early age of 17. Graduating from Brigham Young University with degrees in Illustration and Art Education, Wade taught Art in Southern Utah for ten years and then launched a career as a graphic designer while teaching computer graphics courses at Dixie State College (now Utah Tech). He’s worked since 2016 as the lead designer for the Zion Forever Project, the official nonprofit partner of Zion National Park, Cedar Breaks & Pipe Spring National Monuments, and Dixie National Forest. This job and others throughout his life have provided vast experiences in nature, and have given him an intimate appreciation for the mountains and canyonlands of the american west. He’s been painting and photographing these landscapes for nearly 50 years, and looks forward to painting full-time in the years to come. He is passionate about his faith, his family, and his love of the outdoors.