Winnipeg artist Joseph Koensgen has been drawing and painting from a young age. Born in 1984, he has always been fascinated with, and inspired by the world around him. It was this fascination with animals and inclination for art that meant that his subjects were mostly wildlife in nature. He enjoys nature and has always desired to learn more about his surroundings, with the hope that his appreciation for the natural world can be shared with others through his artwork. 

As he was growing up, he was often recognized by his peers as having a natural talent and his work received many art awards in school. Being self-taught, he began to paint wildlife in natural settings in acrylics at the age of 15, studying the art of his favourite wildlife painters as he continued to develop his skill and technique. In 2008, he progressed into painting the nature scenes that he so skillfully creates today. His detailed and thoughtful scenes depict snapshots of nature, seeing the animal in its natural habitat as though the viewer has simply walked into a moment in time. He works hard to represent nature accurately all while creating dynamic pieces of art which reflect his desire to share the beauty of nature, and the commitment to the conservation of wildlife.

His creativity is inspired directly from nature, going outside with a camera to capture the images that he sees which he then sketches and eventually brings to life in his paintings. In 2009, Joseph received The People's Choice Award at the very first showing of his work at the Manitoba Art Expo. In 2013 he was featured in an article, 30 Under 30, “Young Artists Revolutionizing the World of Fine Art”, in Art Business News Magazine. He is a member of Artists For Conservation and has been selected to be a part of the Ducks Unlimited Canada National Art Portfolio in 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, and receiving their highest award of “Artist of the Year” in 2018. His passion for conservation is evident in the organizations he partners with and his appreciation for the natural world is apparent with the care he takes in creating his paintings.