Profiles: Tom White

Tom White, What is Seldom is Wonderful, 2018, pen and ink and Faber-Castell markers on Bristol Paper, image size: 20 x 30 in., credit: © Tom White, courtesy of the artist

I recently interviewed Tom White (b. 1997) and asked him about his childhood and development as an artist. He was born in Omaha, Nebraska and expressed an interest in art early in his life. Early on, his father communicated his interest in architecture to him, teaching White how to have an eye for design. One of his early childhood memories is his father bringing home stacks of printer paper that he and his sister would draw on for hours. White has maintained this interest in drawing throughout his life.

At 13, White discovered his love for pen and ink drawing after his father gifted him a set of Micron pens to toy around with. Later, his father gave him the book “Pen & Ink Techniques” by Frank Lohan. White has cherished and studied the book religiously. Since then, pen and ink has been his preferred medium because of its technical precision and permanence. There is no room for error when White draws.

In high school, White took classes with a teacher named Jeremy Caniglia. He finds inspiration in Caniglia’s artmaking because of his dedication to painting and his study of Old Master painting techniques. White says Caniglia has been an influence on him, and that Caniglia remains very supportive of his artistic endeavors. 

Tom White, Acia Radko, 2019, pen and ink and Faber-Castell markers on Bristol paper, image size: 9 x 11 in., credit: © Tom White, courtesy of the artist

As a junior in high school, White joined the Kent Bellows Mentoring Program. The program is offered by the Joslyn Art Museum and aims to support the creativity of high school students and to help them develop into professional artists. While at the program, he discovered and experimented with various artistic mediums and formed relationships with other students who were serious about art. Many of the people he met in the program are still his mentors and friends. White also met a student named Erin Paulson who eventually became his partner. Both continue to support one another in their artmaking.

After graduating from Creighton Preparatory School in 2016, White enrolled at the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO) where he is currently working towards earning a BFA with a concentration in drawing. White is expected to graduate in May 2020.

The Art and Art History department at UNO has been very influential and supportive of White. Professors that have been significant to White include David Helm (professor of sculpture), Amy Haney (professor of printmaking), Luke Severson (professor of ceramics), and Barb Simcoe (professor of painting). Of all these professors, he works more closely with Simcoe. He says “she never fails to give me great advice and feedback on my work.”

Tom White, Yoke-O (oh NO!), 2018, pen and ink on Bristol paper, image size: 9 x 11 in., credit: © Tom White, courtesy of the artist

White applied to an unpaid artist-in-residence internship at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts in the spring of 2019. After the Bemis accepted his application, White was assigned to the artist Jes Fan. Born in Canada and raised in Hong Kong, Fan’s artwork is about the intersection of biology with race and gender. Now based in Brooklyn, Fan has been mostly working with ceramics, glass and rubber. Recently, Fan has created silicone-filled vessels injected with biological substances like testosterone, estrogen, melanin, and fat. 

During his internship, White assisted Fan by helping the artist cast molds, building ceramic sculptures, and blowing glass. His individual assignments included wet sanding and polishing ceramics as well as doing anything else Fan asked him to do.

In his own work, White interprets reality through Surrealist illustration. His drawing method is spontaneous and free-form with no fixed plan. Although his drawings are usually realistic depictions of humans and animals, he enhances their silhouettes with graphic and decorative patterning, tinting them with subdued neon colors. And while he does favor realistic subject matter, he does occasionally descend into total abstraction. These abstract drawings are just as precise as his drawings of real subject matter and also have the same color and pattern treatment.

Recently, White participated in the show “LOOSE JUICE,” a pop-up show organized by Benson First Friday, at the Maple St. Construct gallery. White was one of three artists exhibited and had four pieces in the show. The show opened on May 21^st, 2019 and closed a few days later.

Tom White, Drama in Antiquity, 2019, pen and ink on Bristol paper, image size: 9 x 11 in., credit: © Tom White, courtesy of the artist

Currently, White has work in the 2019 Nebraska Artist Biennial at Gallery 1516. This juried exhibition is open to all artists who have a connection to Nebraska. White’s submission is a pen and ink drawing titled “Drama in Antiquity.” The drawing’s composition is heavier towards the left side and has a strong diagonal that starts at the top left and bounces to the bottom right. Some figures are posed dramatically and interact with one another. Others are totally disconnected like the figure on the bottom right. White’s distinctive patterning is present at the top right, and curiously, is the only colored area in the composition. 

White is working on his upcoming BFA thesis right now. He is currently making artwork that will be embedded into antique televisions. Once installed, the work will be illuminated by a lighting system within the televisions.

Tom White has one more year of study before he graduates with his BFA. Once he completes his degree, he plans on moving to Chicago. He is also considering attending graduate school. White aspires to create the best artwork he can make and hopes to come to a point where he does not compare his work to other artist's artwork. He wants his studio practice to be his main source of income while additionally maintaining a teaching position.

Tom White, credit: © Tom White, courtesy of the artist

Tom White currently resides in Omaha, Nebraska.

His Instagram handle is: @sp33d_of_white.