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. Most of his work sticks to an earthy color palette of browns, rustic oranges, yellows, and gray concrete tones, though a seemingly out-of-place splash of color will make an appearance every now and then. He began his career in the arts through drawing and painting. It wasn’t until 2008 when he started to work heavily with clay, and received his Bachelors of Fine Arts in Ceramics from Indiana University in 2012. He went on to receive his Masters of Fine Arts in Clay from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2015. He says this about his work:
“There is a peace that can be found in even the simplest things. Ordinary elements within our environments offer both visual and physical reminders of our connection with nature. I am inspired by the small, overlooked aspects of our environment, finding enjoyment in the unexpected discoveries that come from simply being observant of the minutia and incorporating those mundane forms into my work. Crumbling Brick, rusting metal, and rotting wood become sources of inspiration. In my observations I also see similarities between the processes that occur in nature and those that drive us. By combining both man-made and natural elements within my work I hope to highlight the fact that we are not separate from nature but are, in fact, part of it.”
More of his work can be viewed on his website, Facebook and Instagram.
Images: Courtesy of Christopher David White.
