Wildbrumby founder, Brad Spalding (a.k.a Spalding), is a celebrated local artist with a passion for the majestic beauty of the Snowy Mountains.

He has made art central to the spirit and workings of Wildbrumby, using the alpine landscape as the inspiration for his many paintings displayed throughout the distillery.

Often described as a ‘ski instructor-turned-artist-turned-entrepreneur’, Brad uses snow as a constant theme, depicting the vast and unforgiving nature of the alpine regions.

His paintings, which have formed part of a solo exhibition at Stanley Street Gallery in Sydney. immerse viewers in the windswept and weather-beaten landscape of the Snowy Mountains, as dense mist and snow give way to twisted gums and scrub.

Alongside these are more playful portraits of skiing unique to Australia. Spalding’s “sou-westerly” people have also become a symbol of his work in the region. Years ago, returning to Thredbo as a ski instructor, Spalding became fascinated with his often ill-prepared Australian ski students and his raincoat-clad skiers were born. Most recently, one of his iconic sou’wester skiers was chosen to decorate the 2016 Thredbo Lift Pass.

Spalding studied Fine Art at Bendigo Art School in Victoria. He was awarded first prize in the Roof Top of Australia exhibition in 1994 and 1995, and his portrait of Stuart Diver was selected for the Archibald Salon in 2000.