| p>If you have ever watched The ABC sitcom | | | | painting to tell me and almost immediately after |
| "Freddie" and ABC's "Extreme Makeover Home | | | | the images were shown my phones start ringing |
| Edition", you may have already viewed some of | | | | off the hook with calls from friends and family |
| Rodney White's phenomenal art pieces. Once in a | | | | saying that they saw it and people congratulating |
| while something so unique, eye-catching and | | | | me. It was a big deal the first time and big deal |
| visually pleasing comes along that it just really | | | | again. What was seen on the show were canvas |
| grabs you. This is the case with the winning | | | | transfers of my paintings." |
| combination of color, rustic style, and timely | | | | If you ask Rodney what inspires him, he would |
| messages that Rodney White has created. | | | | say, "Everything. I see things everywhere and |
| One critic writes of Rodney White's work, "The | | | | everyday that gives me some idea for my |
| most amazing aspect of this work is that it isn't | | | | pieces. I love to visit flea markets and antique |
| created on a computer but on a canvas instead. | | | | markets. I notice the natural aging of things |
| I'm amazed by these wonderful typographical | | | | around us. Billboard signs, buildings, packages, and |
| beauties. The retro feeling, grunch effect and nice | | | | aging paper catch my attention. I seek to |
| color combinations make them really stand out. | | | | replicate the rusting and decaying look of things I |
| Most of his work contains meaningful messages. | | | | see." |
| Rodney also uses different materials and | | | | Where did his desire to be an artist all begin? He |
| techniques, mainly acrylic. Most of his paintings are | | | | claims that he has dabbled in art since his |
| on wood but some are on metallic and there is | | | | pre-kindergarten days. He tells the story of |
| even one on a faux brick panel." | | | | rushing through his class work so that he could be |
| This Georgian artist, now a New Yorker residing in | | | | the first one back to the scrap paper box in the |
| Brooklyn, has an ever-growing audience buying | | | | classroom. In fact, he admits that he would fill the |
| and collecting his works. His popularity soared | | | | blank pages in the front and back of |
| after his national exposure on television, and the | | | | encyclopedias because he thought, "Those sheets |
| past two years have been a turning point for this | | | | were put there for me." |
| self-taught artist who hails from Augusta, Georgia. | | | | When Rodney further explains his view on his |
| Rodney White was born in Augusta in 1976. He | | | | own work, he shares his fascination with poetry, |
| lived in Atlanta from 1997-2005, and then made | | | | typography, advertising design and vintage signs. |
| the move to Brooklyn, New York where he | | | | He says that by trying to encourage others to |
| works and lives. During his time in Atlanta, Rodney | | | | notice those things that he is, "learning, teaching, |
| did attend a technical institute to study visual | | | | and inspiring." In describing his work and its |
| communications in 1999. In 2003, he had his first | | | | connection to the past, he says, "The past has |
| solo exhibition. His "Solo Exhibitions" include the | | | | always been something that I've felt we could |
| following: 2005 "Future Becomings" Claret Arts: | | | | should learn from, and advertising has always |
| Atlanta, Georgia; 2004 "Retro Notions" Claret Arts: | | | | been a reflection of the desires and societal |
| Atlanta, Georgia; 2004 "Recent works" Octane: | | | | norms that are driven into the hearts and minds |
| Atlanta, Georgia; and 2003 " Love is..." Open Artist | | | | of consumers. Well...what if those driven desires |
| Studio: Atlanta, Georgia. | | | | became more positively influential on our minds |
| Since 2004 Rodney White has also accumulated | | | | and inner beings? Thus, giving us something to |
| quite a list of credits for "Group Exhibitions" where | | | | take into the way we live our lives, and approach |
| his work has been admired. These include the | | | | the world around us." |
| following: | | | | Rodney has a love for the deterioration of things |
| 2006 "Planes, Trains, and Automobiles" Anchorage | | | | which includes objects and surfaces. He notices |
| Museum of History and Art: Anchorage, Alaska; | | | | how things have developed and aged. He takes |
| 2006 "Two Person Show: Recent Works" Tag Art | | | | note of antique labels, old books and vintage |
| Gallery: Nashville, Tennessee; 2005 "Think Small | | | | posters which have that "experienced look." |
| Exhibition" Art 6 Gallery: Richmond, VA; 2005 | | | | Because he believes that art will be around a long |
| Affordable Art Fair: Clapham Art Gallery (London, | | | | time, he feels the best way to leave messages |
| UK) New York, NY; 2005 "Open Gallery Show" E. | | | | behind is through art. |
| Weber Gallery: Atlanta, Georgia; 2005 Decatur | | | | Rodney also says that he gets inspiration from |
| Arts Walk: Decatur, Georgia; 2005 Art Expo New | | | | music, other artists, poets, and literature. He |
| York; 2004 Spin & Gin Fund-raiser: Atlanta, | | | | enjoys music of all kinds and says, "I'm working |
| Georgia; 2004 Decatur Arts Walk: Decatur, | | | | on a slight taste for country. And that doesn't |
| Georgia; 2004 "Group Show: Recent Works" | | | | seem to be working out. It is much harder than I |
| Iridium Gallery: Roswell, Georgia; 2004 "Open | | | | thought." Other artists that he admires are: |
| Gallery Show" Iridium Gallery: Roswell, Georgia; | | | | Sabrina Ward Harrison, Rik Catlow, Anja Kroenke, |
| and 2004 "Roswell Art Walk" Taylor Kinzel Gallery: | | | | Tim Marrs, and Ashley Wood. Among the poets |
| Roswell, Georgia. | | | | he reads are Saul Williams and Sabrina Ward |
| Besides his group and solo exhibits, Rodney | | | | Harrison. |
| White's exposure took on national proportions | | | | When speaking of his friends, Rodney says, "A lot |
| with the following credits: 2005 Art World News | | | | of my paintings come from what I write often in |
| article, April issue; 2005 Extreme Makeover Home | | | | my Journal/Idea books. A lot of times my friends |
| Edition, 4 paints chosen to complete a new home; | | | | and the people I meet say the most brilliant things |
| 2005 "Freddie" sitcom on ABC Rodney White | | | | and they sometimes never mean them the way I |
| image chosen for part of the permanent set | | | | hear them. Lucky me I guess." |
| design; 2005 article in Access Atlanta Exhibition | | | | When asked about his interests, Rodney says, "I |
| Review; 2006 Extreme Makeover Home Edition, 9 | | | | love furniture and dreaming up living spaces. |
| pieces chosen to complete a new home; and | | | | Décor stuff. Movies, collecting and listening |
| 2006 TBS's Movie and a Makeover, original art | | | | 2 music. Books (Angels, Aliens, Theology) and |
| commission for a room design. | | | | Writing. Learning to enjoy the small things about |
| What does Rodney think about his exposure on | | | | life - like walking in the sand barefoot. Riding my |
| network TV? "There seems to be some | | | | bike around the city. Daily getaways listening to |
| gravitational pull between my work and the ABC | | | | my iPod. (I tend to really visit new places when I |
| network. My work was chosen to appear on | | | | do this). Talking and making...connections with |
| Extreme Makeover Home Edition with the | | | | people. Learning about people and their stories. |
| Crawford Smith Family. A whopping 9 pieces | | | | Everybody has them - not everybody has |
| were hanging in the home, AND you could actually | | | | someone that wants to listen to them & |
| see them on television. It was a total surprise to | | | | DREAMING...Always Dreaming. |
| me. My mom called while I was in the middle of | | | | |
