Artist documents

Statement, Bio, CV
Studio practice, professional background, and contact information

Christoher David White

40 years old, from Richmond, Virgina

Biography

Christopher David White is a trompe l’oeil sculptor whose works are handmade predominantly from clay and rendered with acute attention to detail, often resembling decaying pieces of wood, rusted metal, and other objects in various stages of deterioration. These works explore the relationship between humanity and nature and how both are in a constant state of flux between growth and decay. He received his Bachelors of Fine Arts in Ceramics from Indiana University in 2012. He went on to receive his Masters of Fine Arts in Craft/Material Studies from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2015. He was the recipient of the Windgate Fellowship from the Center of Craft, Creativity and Design, and later was awarded ‘Most Environmentally Conscious’ at INLight 2014 hosted by 1708 Gallery. His work has been featured on several prominent art publications, including Juxtapoz, Beautiful Decay, My Modern Met, and This is Colossal. His work has been shown in galleries and museums internationally, including Daejeon Museum of Art and Suwon I-Park Museum of Art in South Korea, Abmeyer & Wood Gallery in Seattle, and Hartwick University’s Foreman Gallery in New York.

Artist Statement

Human is to nature as skin is to bark – as roots are to veins. Humanity is inextricably linked to the natural world. Our biological patterns are echoed throughout the universe, from the micro to the macro, from our DNA to the cosmos. Yet we have created barriers between ourselves and nature. We have placed ourselves into opposition with this world that sustains us. We have become outsiders to everything that makes us who we are. My current work explores our relationships to nature and how our daily interactions affect the fragile balance between humanity and the environment. How do we interact with and perceive the world around us? The repercussions from our persistent consumption are tipping the balance towards a bleak future that endangers our very survival. Given the unparalleled state of our technological and scientific achievements it is not only possible but necessary to find a new balance that promotes a thoughtful and sustainable relationship with nature. With clay as my medium of choice I meticulously render by hand natural elements within our lives, taking advantage of clay’s innate ability to mimic a wide variety of materials. I utilize trompe l’oeil as a stylistic choice to enforce the concept of illusion. But, the true illusion is the world in which humanity has created. It is an existence that seeks to separate itself from nature. The juxtaposition of natural and man-made features in combination with the skewing of scale, proportion, and material, helps create an altered perception – forcing the viewer to look closer both externally and internally.

CV

Christopher David White

 

www.christopherdavidwhite.com

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Mob: Upon Request

 

Education

2013-2015

2008-2012

MFA in Craft/Material Studies,Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA

BFA in Ceramics, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

Minor: Art History

 

Awards

2015

2014

2012

Adjunct Faculty Research Grant, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA

Most Environmentally Conscious Installation, Inlight 2014, Richmond, VA

Windgate Fellowship, Center of Craft Creativity, and Design

 

Exhibitions

2017

2016

 

 

 

2015

 

 

2014

 

 

 

 

 

Microcosm, Group Show, Abmeyer+Wood Fine Art, Seattle, Washington

Human:Nature, Solo Show, Abmeyer+Wood Fine Art, Seattle, Washington

Hyperrealism, ClayArch Gimhae Museum, Gimhae, South Korea

To See, To Show, To Be Seen, Suwon IPark Museum of Art, Suwon, South Korea

Hyperrealism: Nothing is Static, Daejeon Museum of Art, Daejeon, South Korea

Bodies + Beings, Abmeyer+Wood Gallery, Seattle, WA

A Perception of Change, A Change of Perception, Depot Gallery, Richmond, VA

InLight 2014, 1708 Gallery, Richmond, VA (in collaboration with Marta Finkelstein)

Remarks on Seeing, FAB Gallery, Richmond, VA

Clay3, ClaySpace, Warrenville, Illinois

Where Words Are Not Enough, ArtSpace, Richmond, Virginia

We Brought This in a Mini-Van, Gallery 218, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Into the Woods, Foreman Gallery, Oneonta, New York

 

Print Publications

 

Anne & Julien, “Christopher David White”, Hey! Modern Art & Pop Culture, Issue #28 Dec 2016, 22-27

Kangas, Matthew “Christopher David White: Human: Nature at Abmeyer + Wood Fine Art”,

               Art Ltd., Nov/Dec 2016, 36-37

Wood Planet, “Wood Artist” Sept. 2016, Issue 54, 129-134

Power Station of Art, “Art World,” Double Hands, November 2013, 64-64

“Touch,” A Better Project, October, 2013
“Awards,” Ceramic Arts Yearbook, November, 2012, 44
“Spring 2012,” Canvas Magazine, 2012, 60-61

 

Online Publications

 

Barnes, Sara “Sculptor Expertly Fools the Eye with Surreal Ceramics That Look Like Wood,” My                Modern Met, 21 August 2016, mymodernmet.com

Giedre, “This Sculptor Will Deceive Your Eyes into Believing His Ceramic Sculptures are Wood”, Bored

                 Panda, August, 2016 boredpanda.com

‘Incredible Sculptures That You’d Mistake for Wood are Actually Crafted from Clay”, Creative Boom,

                  August 2016, creativeboom.com

 

Ackay, Tamara “Christopher David White’s Incredible Ceramic Sculpture Imitates the Looks of Decaying Wood” Beautiful Decay, Sept. 10, 2015 beautifuldecay.com

Sierzputowski, Kate “Trompe L’oeil Ceramics That Imitate the Natural Appearance of Decaying Wood”, This is Colossal, August 18, 2015 thisiscolossal.com

Pizana, Nick, “Christopher David White’s Ceramic Sculptures Mimic Wood and Other Textures,“ Hi                Fructose, 6 March 2014, hifructose.com
“Ceramics, Not Wood, From Christopher David White, “ Juxtapoz. 5 February 2014,               http://www.juxtapoz.com/

Kat, Noel, “Unbelievable Ceramic Sculptures That Look Like Wood“ My Modern Met, 27 January 2014,                http://www.mymodernmet.com/

Jobson, Christopher, “Cycle of Decay: A Sculpted Ceramic Hand that Looks Like a Carved Tree Branch,” This                is Colossal, 12 December 2012. www.thisiscolossal.com
Tristan, “Cycles of Decay par Christopher David White,” Journal Du Design. 12 December 2012.

               www.journal-du-design.fr
Olda, Danny. “The Decaying Ultra Realistic Ceramics of Christopher David White, “ Beautiful Decay, 12                November 2012, http://beautifuldecay.com

 

 

 

Teaching Experience      

2017-2016

 

 

 

 

2015

 

 

 

2014

2013

 

Adjunct Professor, SCPT-321 Figure Modeling, Virginia Commonwealth                University, Richmond, VA

Adjunct Professor, SCPT-321 Figure Modeling, Virginia Commonwealth                University, Richmond, VA

Adjunct Professor, SCPT-321 Figure Modeling, Virginia Commonwealth                University, Richmond, VA

Adjunct Professor, CRAF-341 Advanced Ceramics: Trompe l’oeil, Virginia                Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA

Adjunct Professor, CRAF-240 Introduction to Ceramics, Virginia Commonwealth                University, Richmond, VA

Adjunct Professor, CRAF-241 Introduction to Ceramics, Virginia Commonwealth                University, Richmond, VA
Graduate TA, CRAF-241 Mostly Clay, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond,                VA
Graduate TA, CRAF-341 Advanced Ceramics: Hand building, Virginia Commonwealth                University, Richmond, VA

 



 

 

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