wish origins

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Christian Kanienberg

WISH is a business entity, but I suppose that entity is all about Christian Kanienberg.  To some people I am just “Chris”, a sincere, artsy guy with a contagious laugh, or so I am told.  To others I am “Babe”, “Dad”, and “Son”, and I have the most amazing family who support my crazy way of making a living as an artist.  

My “career” started at 3 or 4 when my earliest dabbling in crayons showed potential beyond the stick figures and scribblings of my peers.  My parents enrolled me in groups and private lessons with Cincinnati area artists local to where I was raised.  It was then that I practiced oils and worked with traditional fine art mediums like charcoals and watercolors.

(The crayons in this image wasn’t my first pack of drawing tools, but it might as well be. This artifact I hold dear, as it was used to draw alongside my maternal Grandfather while I was discovering the gift of art at around five or six.)Later in High School I showed an adept means to plan (pre-CAD), by way of architectural drafting, and continued to work with traditional drawing and painting.  I quickly learned that I was not a competitive athlete, so I had the time to get lost in art in addition to volunteering at a local YMCA where for years I was a part of their Youth Group, The Leaders Club.After gaining acceptance to the College of Design, Art, Architecture, and Planning (DAAP) at the University of Cincinnati, my eyes were opened wide by the fields of study that included sculpture, video, writing,and poetry.  I made an incredible group of friends that included a young photographer and fellow fine artist who would later become my wife, but that is another story.   Later in college, I utilized a semi-shelved CO-OP program and earned a semester working as an artisan in the Exhibits Department at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden.   It was there that my eyes were opened to the infinite possibilities of working as a commercial artist.   Most of his experience at the zoo involved mold making, casting, sculpting, and some mural work.  I was invited to stay on as a part-time artisan while I finished my studies.Upon graduation, I worked locally for  DeLuco Architectural Metals as part of the fabrication team.  I also worked as a landscape design draftsman, before gaining employment with Chicago-based Skyline Design, where I worked as a project manager and sculptor,  creating and installing works in aquariums, themed restaurants, and casinos.  After moving to the East Coast, I took a job as a Scenic Charge where I gained vast experiences with the fabrication of theatrical sets and more museum work. Over five years I began to build up side work and eventually launched “Wish Painting and Sculpture” as my full-time business in August of 2004.

(The crayons in this image wasn’t my first pack of drawing tools, but it might as well be. This artifact I hold dear, as it was used to draw alongside my maternal Grandfather while I was discovering the gift of art at around five or six.)

Later in High School I showed an adept means to plan (pre-CAD), by way of architectural drafting, and continued to work with traditional drawing and painting.  I quickly learned that I was not a competitive athlete, so I had the time to get lost in art in addition to volunteering at a local YMCA where for years I was a part of their Youth Group, The Leaders Club.

After gaining acceptance to the College of Design, Art, Architecture, and Planning (DAAP) at the University of Cincinnati, my eyes were opened wide by the fields of study that included sculpture, video, writing,and poetry.  I made an incredible group of friends that included a young photographer and fellow fine artist who would later become my wife, but that is another story.   Later in college, I utilized a semi-shelved CO-OP program and earned a semester working as an artisan in the Exhibits Department at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden.   It was there that my eyes were opened to the infinite possibilities of working as a commercial artist.   Most of his experience at the zoo involved mold making, casting, sculpting, and some mural work.  I was invited to stay on as a part-time artisan while I finished my studies.

Upon graduation, I worked locally for  DeLuco Architectural Metals as part of the fabrication team.  I also worked as a landscape design draftsman, before gaining employment with Chicago-based Skyline Design, where I worked as a project manager and sculptor,  creating and installing works in aquariums, themed restaurants, and casinos.  After moving to the East Coast, I took a job as a Scenic Charge where I gained vast experiences with the fabrication of theatrical sets and more museum work. Over five years I began to build up side work and eventually launched “Wish Painting and Sculpture” as my full-time business in August of 2004.

Since the inception, WISH has grown into several entities which include WISH Creatives, a retail based extension that offers art-objects, original sculptures and paintings, industrial and antique items.  WISH is proud to have spent the years successfully cultivating a client list that includes hosts of commercial and residential customers.  Currently I am networked with other artists, carpenters and electricians… florists, landscapers, craftsman, architects, and engineers.

WISH wins awards, or it helps clients to win them, and beautifies interiors and exteriors. WISH upcycles and is eco-conscious, and helps brand with brand new things that sometimes look really old.   Creatively speaking – WISH does it all.