Biography

The production of art is based on the fundamental struggle to liberate and express a captive vision of creativity. For Steven Whyte this struggle takes on an added element. More than the mere rendering of a visual image, each time Whyte begins to work with his clay he attempts to produce a presence enriched with distinct personality, spirit and vitality.

Born in England , Whyte spent his youth living throughout Europe . Exposure to the expansive culture and history inspired him, but from an early age it was evident that art would maintain the consistent presence in his life. The young artist won his first art competition at the age of eleven and the works from his senior exhibition uncommonly sold out. Furthering his art education, Steven became the only undergraduate student ever accepted to the prestigious Sir Henry Doulton School of Sculpture, where he flourished under the classical training and mentorship of Dame Elizabeth Fink RA and Professor Colin Melbourne ARCA., He soon found his pure academic studies preempted as his talents matured and were recognized; Whyte was quickly thrust into the world of professional sculpture and began his remarkable career in portrait sculpture.

Attention to detail is the essence of portrait sculpture and the young artist grew to be a master of identifying and capturing the nuances of expression that define individuality and spirit. Enamored with the ability to create life and personality in previously inanimate matter, Whyte strove to communicate character that went beyond physical details and instead left his sitters with a reflection of their true selves; a likeness of both their physical and spiritual presence. His talent attracted the attention of leading members of Britain 's political, cultural and business spheres, with commissions including The Lord Bishop of Litchfield; Viscount Blakenham; The Earl of Stockton; and as a special commission for the Industry of Parliament and Trust, the Speaker of the House of Commons.

Alongside his early work as a portrait sculptor, Whyte was awarded a private commission from a major European hotel chain during the final year of his studies. Embracing the opportunity to combine the sensitivity to accuracy and detail gained through his portrait work with his own sense of self-expression he went on to create Destiny, an ascending, siren-like, eleven foot, female figure who inspires viewers with an aura of peace, juxtaposed with a vibrant sense of exaltation. Yet fundamentally, the essence of the piece remained subjective with viewers performing a personal analysis with their response. Witnessing this phenomenon confirmed for Whyte that the true power of artistic expression lay in the dynamic and interpretive dialogue between the audience and the work.

Despite his pleasure at these early personal successes, the artist's exposure to the world of professional art left him with the discouraging realization that the pursuit of figurative art was becoming increasingly eclipsed in the zealous embrace of abstraction and deconstruction. The closure of the Sir Henry Dalton School left Whyte distressed that training of the nature he received, with mentorship and apprenticeship, was in danger of extinction. He was thus motivated to join with fellow sculptor Michael Talbot ARA to produce a syllabus for the first validated course devoted exclusively to figurative sculpture and accepted a teaching position at Stafford College . The resulting, nationally popular, course ensured that another generation of students would have the opportunity to create and experience art in the humanistic tradition.

Whyte's efforts were recognized on an international level when he was invited to become the youngest member of the London based Society of Portrait Sculptors, honoring the legacy of former member Sir Jacob Epstein and the most celebrated figurative sculptors in Europe . The artist was soon elected Vice President of the prestigious organization, where he served alongside President Franta Belsky PPRBS, late sculptor to the Royal Family.

The arena for Whyte's work increased dramatically when he was awarded numerous commissions for public monuments. The responsibility the artist had felt towards his subjects in his portrait work multiplied exponentially as he began to design work communicating and commemorating events and emotions for a nation. Throughout the creation process behind theses larger works, including The Silverdale Mining Memorial; The Lance Sergeant Jack Baskeyfield VC Tribute; and The Spirit of 1948, Whyte combined this sense of duty with his personal creativity and expression.

In The Silverdale Mining Memorial, the sculptor honored the fatalities of the town's mining disasters by creating a permanent testament to the mammoth struggle and humble heroism common to the workers' daily lives. Before commencing the project, Whyte searched for an appropriate subject in the hundreds of memories and stories shared with him by local residents. Conscious that the finished piece needed to capture the town's collective memory in a solitary statement, he copiously included as many specific details as possible. He captured the subject almost on his knees, hunched in the shallow tunnels and struggling under the weight of a coal tub. However, the determined set of his powerful arms leaves no doubt that the young miner will continue and persevere. The base of the monument incorporates ten bronze relief plaques depicting items of local historical and cultural import. The placement and content of these reliefs symbolically assert that Silverdale's history and citizenry are the foundation for the celebrated miner and support him in his struggle. In its completion, the monument celebrates determination and courage. Unveiled at a stirring ceremony attended by hundreds of former miners as well the majority of the town's population, the finished memorial left many guests in tears at the poignant statement of richly deserved recognition and remembrance.

Producing the Jack Baskeyfield VC Tribute, Whyte strived to again communicate a common evocative and emotional statement. Consequently, he designed a piece that depicts the physical details of a specific World War II soldier while it expresses the universal bravery and sacrifice inherent in battle. The monument captures Baskeyfield loading a canon shell traditionally used by two soldiers unassisted and symbolizes the rare force universally displayed by soldiers in the adversity of war. For Whyte, the project represented an ideal opportunity to not only reproduce the physical regard of Jack Baskeyfield, but to enrich his features with the strength and presence of a nation's struggles. Today, the statue stands as the only memorial to a non-commissioned soldier in Great Britain .

The artist's Tribute to the Fire and Rescue workers and the 50th anniversary of Staffordshire Fire Brigade was inspired by another example of heroism in daily life. Whyte designed a piece that embodies the distinguished history of the firefighter organization, while celebrating their continuing vigilance. Using a carved stone style, the artist created a modern day fireman in the midst of a rescue. Behind him the figure of a firefighter from the original, fifty-year old brigade, stands in protection and inspiration. The dramatic sculpture resonates with the inherent bravery of the deed as well as the powerful bond and legacy of a profession whose members exist as symbols of civic protection and sacrifice.

In 2001, Whyte took the opportunity to establish a residence and studio in the serenity and beauty of Carmel , California , and began to receive inquiries about public commissions in the United States . His first American monument, unveiled in October 2004, was done in coordination with the central coast community of Seaside , California and depicts the town founder Dr. John D. Rob erts, a physician and land developer. Whyte embraced the project because of the opportunity it provided to learn about the area that had become his second home; during the course of the project’s construction he expanded his studio and opened a new public study and gallery on Monterey ’s historic Cannery Row.

Whyte continues to be sought after both nationally and internationally for portrait commissions and large public art projects. In 2006, he was awarded the National Celebration of John Steinbeck’s Cannery Row, which is are still under development. He also recently began work on the National Salute to Bob Hope and our Military in San Diego , California a multi-million dollar project featuring fifteen over life-size figures.

Though classically trained and infused with the traditional techniques of figurative sculpture, the defining element of Steven Whyte's work rests in the expressive presence and inherent personality he incorporates into the classical design. He produces work with an enduring dedication to quality and acknowledgement of the responsibility of subject. Whether he is creating a private portrait, a commissioned monument or one of his own edition pieces, Whyte is constantly respectful to both his subject and his audience and uses his skill and creativity to celebrate both.