BIOGRAPHY
Dave White has created a fresh, modern perspective on the natural world with his striking animal portraiture. These expressive encounters with wildlife are skilfully constructed in watercolour overlaid with oil to give a weight and vibrancy to the colour, and their deceptively free technique brings an authenticity and dynamic emotional depth to every subject. His energetic signature style, characterised by sweeping brushstrokes, bold mark making, and loose splashes of colour, has long established him as one of the UK’s most successful contemporary artists, and is now winning him acclaim internationally. Alongside his original works, White is passionate about providing the highest quality limited editions, making each one unique and giving it the texture and surface of an original through an organic process of artisan hand-embellishment. The materials he uses, 24 carat gold leaf, pure platinum, high grade diamond dust and the finest Belgian linen canvas, are chosen to give the collector a magnificent, hand-made, one-of-a-kind collector’s piece. The finishing is always there to embellish and enhance, so a shimmering, richly textured diamond dust background behind a shark for instance, will add impact and beauty to the overall effect, but will also imply the sparkling reflection of sunlight on water. His choice of gold leaf used on a tiger’s stripes or a hummingbird’s wing, or some brushwork on a fox’s coat adds an element of light, but also makes the work more precious, as befits both the artistry of the image, and the creature, often endangered, which it portrays. White has enjoyed an unusual and fascinating artistic career which began when he was selected for the Northern Graduates exhibition. He went on to exhibit at The Royal College of Art in London where a prominent dealer saw his work, and this led to exhibitions in Mayfair and a number of international art fairs in the 1990s. In 1997, his expressive wildlife paintings were displayed alongside those of David Hockney at the Animals in Art charity exhibition and auction at Sotheby's, and this exposure led to his first television and radio interviews, along with national press coverage.
While White’s animal portraits began to captivate audiences, there was another side to his art which grew from his immersion in the worlds of fashion, design, and pop art. His innovative and creative imagination allowed these seemingly disparate elements to converge on the canvas when in 2002 he pioneered the 'Sneaker Art' movement, capturing iconic sneaker designs in oil paintings, a concept then unheard of. This venture brought him into the limelight with a range of significant collaborations including a project with Size? and Nike to create limited edition pairs of Nike Air Max (AM95DWs), inspired by the foxes and rabbits of his ‘Albion’ collection of wildlife paintings, and a commission to design the Air Jordan I 'WING's Gold sneakers. He went on to paint an E-Type Jaguar for the Albion collection and to collaborate on successful projects with Mercedes Benz and AOL. White's contributions to art extend way beyond the canvas and he has explored a wide range of subjects, but his key focus has always been on environmental issues, particularly endangered species. He has used his international success as a platform from which to raise awareness and to support international charities through donations and special projects. His collections have been featured in various notable auctions and events, including at Christie’s and at Phillips New York, and in collaborations with The Goss Michael Foundation, The Tusk Rhino Project and Sotheby’s Asia for WWF. He has also shown at numerous prestigious exhibitions alongside Kaws and Murakami, and his hand-painted sculptures have been displayed in prominent locations such as Gardens by the Bay in Singapore. In recent years, White has continued to captivate audiences with collections like 'Critical', 'Paradise', and 'Extinct', each showcasing his evolving style and deepening commitment to wildlife and environmental themes. In 2023 he celebrated 20 years of his ‘sneaker works’ at Liverpool’s Walker Art Gallery, and he remains a dynamic and influential figure on the contemporary art scene, his work resonating with a wide audience through its vivid expression, profound message, and continued relevance.