Charles Ridgely White
A native of Fredericksburg, Virginia, White graduated in Commercial Art
William and Mary (now VCU) after service in the U.S. Army, and a thirty
six year career in advertising and design he now concentrates on one-of-
a-kind sculptural art pieces produced in his studio in central Virginia�s
James River Valley. As his pieces so aptly demonstrate, his work is
often noted for its whimsy as much as for its fine and detailed
craftsmanship.
Artistic expression is in White's blood. He's always enjoyed working with
his hands, reclaiming things that seem to be spent, or have been
discarded. He goes on to combine these things into new forms with the
creativity that springs from head, heart and hands.
A light airy piece of poplar from an old church organ, some dense
mahogany from an old bedstead, tight-grained 19th-century heart pine,
steel-hard hickory from a downed tree, slick modern PVC pipe, rough
wire cloth with fibered cement, fragile pieces of eggshell ... All these
elements speak to White. He believes that the creative process involves
listening to what the materials are telling us, releasing their energies in
new ways and new combinations.
Sometimes an image will occur to White at the outset and his hands
seem to know the path to follow. At other times the piece itself seems to
lead the craft, calling forth expression he hadn�t consciously planned or
anticipated. It really does seem that sometimes function comes out of
form.
�Artistic expression is
what�s in your blood.
I�ve always liked
working with my
hands, reclaiming
things that seem to be
spent, or that have
been discarded. You
then combine them into
new forms with the
creativity that springs
from head, heart and
hands."
Bird Bath Table
(24" x 24" Width, 29"
Height. Old Organ
Poplar, White Eggshells,
Inlaid Mahogany, PVC
and Fibered Cement on
Wirecloth, Lacquer
Finish)
Blue Moon over Old
Richmond
(18" Width, 48" Height.
Glass, PVC, Paint, Pine &
Lacquer Finish)
Eagle's Nest Table
(19� Width x 22� Length x
44� Height [Table 18� W
x 16� D x 24� H]
Brown & White
Eggshells, Heart Pine,
PVC & Fibered Cement
on Wirecloth, Lacquer
Finish)
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