Born April 1964, Michael James White took to drawing by age 2. By age 6 when anyone asked, “what do you want to be when you grow up” he’d smile and say “I want to be an artist”. With that said he set forth to fulfill his goals.
He was published in the Herald Tribune in Rock Hill, S.C. by age 10 and regularly took multiple ribbons in county fair and local art shows.
His evolution as an artist started with drawing cars and space ships then moved to Disney characters and then into animals from photographs.
He also toyed with the art of the times copying 70’s pop culture styles and then would swing all the way around to trying to copy the Old Masters from Biblical paintings.
Since graduating with awards and honors from the Ringling College of Art in 1985; White has just about done everything.
Using skills he acquired as an Illustration major he counts Amoco Oil, Tropicana, Delta Airlines, Marvel and DC Comics, Hyatt Hotel and The Atlantis Resort in the Bahamas as some of his most noteworthy clients.
He has illustrated children’s’ books, album covers, board games, menus, theatrical posters, billboards, buses and more.
Yet at the end of the day when it comes down to what White truly loves, it’s traveling, taking photographs, then getting his hands dirty with pastels trying to recapture the feeling of seeing the Grace of God in nature. The feeling of really being there, being here, existing in awe.
The opening for White’s one-man show at Tryon Painters and Sculptors is Friday, June 13 from 5 – 8 p.m. The show features his pastel landscape paintings. The show ends July 12.

– article submitted
by Michael James White