"I am primarily a sculptor of people. A historian, recording a likeness and creating characters of yesterday's community and today's society for tomorrow's viewer. I manipulate clay to found into bronze for the consideration by an audience, in the home, the street and the gallery." Steven Whyte
Born in England, Whyte studied at the prestigious Sir Henry Doulton School of Sculpture, where his sensitivity and marked talent for detail served as a catalyst for a remarkable career in portrait sculpture.
Whyte's accomplishments as a portrait sculptor have made him sought after for public memorials and installations both in England and throughout the United States with subjects ranging from local miners, to soldiers and fire fighters. He is credited with nine major monuments including The Silverdale Mining Memorial; The Lance Sergeant Jack Baskeyfield VC Tribute; The Spirit of 1948; and the Dr. John Roberts Monument.
Whyte recently completed work on the sixteen figure-multi-million dollar National Military Tribute to Bob Hope for San Diego; Column of Knowledge, a 1.5 time life size portrait bust of Dr. Martin Luther King on a stack of books that influenced his life and work in Fontana, California; Dream Speech Bust, a 1.5 time life size portrait bust of Dr. Martin Luther King on top of the whole 'I have a dream' speech. In May, the San Diego Police Department unveiled Whyte's four figure tribute to the fallen deputies of the police department.
Whyte's edition work features the drama and evocativeness of his monuments combined with a more personal point of view. Working exclusively with live models, his work boasts an anatomical accuracy that gives each piece depth and authenticity without distracting from the sculpture's distinct emotional character. He plays with texture and form to produce work with a classical reference made modern and engaging.
