Steven Whyte facts for kids
Steven Whyte (born 17 March 1969) is a talented sculptor who creates amazing figures and portraits out of bronze. He lives in Carmel, California, and has made many public statues and memorials in both England and the United States. His sculptures show all kinds of people, from miners and soldiers to firefighters.
Steven Whyte has created over 50 life-size or even larger bronze figures and big monuments. Some of his famous works include The Silverdale Mining Memorial, The Lance Sergeant Jack Baskeyfield VC Tribute, The Spirit of 1948, and The Dr. John Roberts Monument. One of his most well-known projects is a huge monument in San Diego, California, called National Salute to Bob Hope and the Military. It features sixteen figures and cost millions of dollars.
In 2010, Whyte revealed a very large statue of John David Crow, a famous football player who won the Heisman Trophy in 1957. This statue is at Texas A&M University. He also made a life-size statue of St. Anthony and Child for the Basilica of Mission San Carlos Borromeo de Carmelo in Carmel-by-the-Sea.
Whyte's work also includes four life-size figures for a memorial honoring fallen officers of the San Diego Sheriff's Department, unveiled in May 2011. He also completed a group of nine figures for Cannery Row in Monterey, and a life-size statue of Jumbo the Elephant for Tufts University. One of his most detailed works is The Aggie War Hymn Monument at Texas A&M University. This huge sculpture has twelve bronze figures of students, each 1.6 times larger than life. The sculpture was unveiled in September 2014.
In 2016, Steven Whyte was named Sports Artist of the Year by The United States Sports Academy. In December 2016, The Smithsonian Institution added Whyte's bronze bust of Congressman John Conyers Jr. to the National Portrait Gallery (United States) in Washington D.C.
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About Steven Whyte
Steven Whyte is a British-American sculptor. He is famous for his public monuments and portraits that look like classic art. He has been a sculptor for over 30 years and has created more than 80 life-size or larger bronze figures installed all over the world. He lives in Carmel, California. Whyte is a Fellow of the National Sculpture Society. His art is part of the collections at the Smithsonian Institution and the Carter Presidential Library.
Early Life and Training
Steven Whyte was born in England. He was the only student ever accepted into the special Sir Henry Dalton School of Sculpture. There, he learned from famous artists like Dame Elizabeth Fink RA. Even before he finished school, he started getting important jobs to sculpt portraits of well-known people.
Whyte was concerned that traditional sculpture was not being taught enough. So, he helped create the first national course focused on figurative sculpture with another sculptor, Michael Talbot ARA. He taught at Stafford College, and his course became a great example for classical art training in the UK.
Moving to the United States
In 2004, Whyte moved to Carmel, California. He opened the Steven Whyte Sculpture Studios and Gallery there. His studio quickly became a popular place and a cultural landmark. It was featured in news stories by CNN and The New York Times. After living in the U.S. for thirteen years, Whyte became an American citizen.
Amazing Public Sculptures
Whyte is well-known for his very large public monuments. He combines old sculpting techniques with modern ideas. Here are some of his major works:
- The National Salute to Bob Hope and the Military (San Diego, CA) – This monument shows Bob Hope with soldiers from different wars where he performed.
- Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Monuments
- Column of Knowledge (Fontana, CA) – A sculpture of Dr. King's head on top of a column made to look like books.
- Monument (Hollywood, FL) – A large sculpture of Dr. King's head on a stone slab with his "I Have a Dream" speech carved into it.
- High Relief at Mission San Carlos Borromeo (Carmel, CA) – This artwork shows St. Anthony and the Christ Child.
- U.S. Presidents Series – Whyte has made sculptures of presidents like Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson. A Lincoln sculpture was even displayed at the Pentagon.
- Texas A&M University
- John David Crow Monument – A 13-foot tall statue of the famous football player.
- War Hymn Monument – A group of twelve students, larger than life, in the middle of a cheer.
- San Diego Law Enforcement Memorial – This sculpture shows a sheriff giving a folded flag to the family of a fallen officer.
- Tufts University – A life-size bronze elephant named Jumbo, which is the school's mascot.
- Cannery Row Monument (Monterey, CA) – This monument features author John Steinbeck and characters from his book Cannery Row. It is the largest public monument between San Francisco and Los Angeles.
- Joseph Vaughn Monument (Furman University, SC) – This sculpture celebrates the first Black student at the university.
- Florida Slavery Memorial – This important project is currently being created.
- Fred Gray Tribute (Alabama) – This honors the civil rights lawyer who helped Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr.
- Crossroads Veterans Monument (Dublin, CA) – A large installation honoring U.S. veterans.
How He Works
Steven Whyte loves to sculpt people. He often works with real people as models. His sculptures start as clay, and then they are made into bronze.
Whyte calls himself a "sculptor of people." Even though his art looks like classical figures, he focuses more on the "emotional quality and impact" of the sculpture. He wants his work to have a "story and a real personality."
Whyte's studio is open to the public. He enjoys the interaction with people who visit. He says it's like a theater actor who gets immediate and honest reactions from the audience.
Awards and Recognition
- 2016 – Named Sports Artist of the Year by the United States Sports Academy.
- 2016 – His bronze sculpture of Congressman John Conyers, Jr. was added to the permanent collection at the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery.
- 2019 – His work was acquired by the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library.
- 2021 – Won the Stanley Bleifeld Memorial Award from the National Sculpture Society.
- 2022 – Recognized as a Champion of the Arts in Monterey County.
- 2022 – Honored by the U.S. Congress and California Senate for his contributions to art.
- 2024 – Elected as a Fellow of the National Sculpture Society.
Public Art Collections
Steven Whyte's sculptures are displayed in many important places:
National Collections
- Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D.C.
- Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Washington, D.C.
- National Portrait Gallery, London
- The House of Commons, London
- National Museum of China, Nanjing, China
- National Marine Corps Museum, Virginia
- Carter Presidential Library, Atlanta, Georgia
- The Potteries Museum, Hanley, England
City Collections
- San Diego Port Authority, California
- San Diego County, California
- City of Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom
- City of Fontana, California
- City of Seaside, California
- Monterey, California
- Hollywood, Florida
- Seoul, South Korea
- Dublin, California
- The State of Florida
- Mobile, Alabama
University Collections
- Texas A&M University
- Tufts University
- Houston Baptist University
- Furman University
- Houston Christian University
- California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly SLO)
See also
- List of sculptors
