My name is Jeremiah J. White and I’m an artist based near Denver, CO. I’m primarily self-trained, aside from basic high school art classes. I was never able to afford art school, so I did my best to learn as much as I could about painting. I studied old master works, read as much as I could about the styles I liked, human anatomy, and almost obsessive practice. Being self-taught can have its drawbacks, but it can also add a unique element. By learning on my own, I was able to avoid the influence of conforming to what’s popular. I didn’t have to abandon what compels me to create my art, but instead I was able to embrace it, build upon it, and use it as a way to express myself.

My work is realistic, but my aim isn’t just to replicate what I see. Instead, it allows me to express ideas, emotions and sentiment, depict what I perceive as beautiful, and as a way of coming to terms with difficult matters in the only way that works for me. The time and detail I put into my work goes beyond the need to fool the eye—I’m compelled to work the way I do. Painting is an important and powerful catharsis for me. It eases my depression and anxiety and satisfies an internal need that I don’t fully understand.

Most of the elements in my pieces are symbolic—not just the subjects, but the colors, the composition, and the lighting can all have an alternate meaning or a story behind it. I try to use symbolism as subtly as possible, encouraging the viewer to examine the piece closely and to contemplate what they’re seeing. Symbolism is not always universal and can vary from one person to another, which is why I welcome others to make their own interpretations as it relates to them personally. This is why the names of my artwork are so literal—I don’t want to force the meaning of a piece onto the viewer. For example, an old forgotten, wrinkled potato growing sprouts might be viewed as rubbish, only to be discarded. To me, however, it’s a representation of how depression can disrupt our plans and cause us to abandon things we normally wouldn’t, but at the same time, life continues in spite of it all and actually takes on a different role from which it was originally intended.

With my work, I hope that I can help the viewer see things in a way that they normally may not. I’d like to inspire others to look for typically overlooked things in their day-to-day environment and seek meaning or learn to appreciate it on a deeper level. It can open up a different world and help to enrich the way life is experienced.

• Member of the Portrait Society of America
• Featured Artist of the Month, DenverArtists.com