Artist Biography

To call Wayne Stadler's work "enigmatic' is an understatement. The Vancouver-based photographer has developed an impressive body of work, with imagery that is simple, and yet elusive. Wayne developed an interest in photography at an early age, and has been nurturing an ability to find beauty in what is often dismissed as ugly. In a world bombarded with fashionable and commercially beautiful recycled images, Wayne Stadler's work stands apart. It only takes a few photographs to realize that there is real talent at work here, never have abandoned houses, discarded cars, or a rotting old boat on the shores of a muddy river looked so incredible. The images are still, but one can hear the stories behind the worn-out and often tossed away subjects loud and clear, every image has a story to tell. As Wayne himself describes it, he is drawn to images that "are submersed in the slightly melancholy, the lonely, the desperate". Glancing at his work, you get a feeling that there is much more to life than the glitz of your television, the careful editing of a fashion-magazine cover, or the daily dose of depression in our news. Wayne has the inimitable ability to make us stop, and really examine the moment of stillness of an old bus rusting in a field, or a simple stretch of road extending into the desert....There are stories in his work beyond what we usually see....

Wayne Stadler is also much more than your average shutterbug. An accomplished musician, Wayne gained mainstream success with major label band Zuckerbaby, bringing as much energy to destroying the skins on his drum set as he does to all his endeavors. Zuckerbaby toured the nation many times over, sharing the stage with the likes of Inxs, The Age of Electric, and the Cardigans just to name a few. Since settling in Vancouver, Wayne is in high demand as a session drummer, and can be found once again destroying the skins on his drum set at various venues. Wayne has combined his love of music and photography by working as a freelance photographer for numerous musicians. His portfolio contains an impressive body of concert photographs that show his uncanny ability to capture perfect moments amidst the chaos of a live show. He has also recently dabbled in portrait photography of various musicians, as well as promotional shots for posters, album covers and websites.

One of Wayne's photographs was chosen to be a label for Jones Soda Company in 2001, and demand for his talents have been growing ever since. His first public showing was in 2007, and interest in his work has been quietly increasing. He is currently still actively performing music, and enjoys a steady clientele for his web design talents. When not working, he enjoys the solitude of the open road. He has a particular fondness for the empty highways of the American southwest, where many of his images find their origin. He enjoys live music, fine coffee and open-minded thinking.