From childhood to life as an adult, I search for images that make me pause and reflect on events from my life. Reaching the viewer with my memories and taking them on a journey back in time to their own is the goal.
Artist Statement
Light and shadows are my great love. Getting the shadow detail right is the key to a successful painting. And the perfect highlight can be magic.
I work in acrylics on canvas. My process is first to gather photo reference from the places I go. I choose a scene to be painted. Then I work in Photoshop and color correct the image until it looks like I see the world. I transfer the image to my canvas. Painting an ochre ground color over the whole canvas creates continuity to all of the colors I will eventually paint. I work from background to foreground, dark to light. The last thing I paint is the highlights.
From childhood to life as an adult, I've looked for images that make me pause and reflect on events from my life. A shadow that crossed the old farm road I traveled down on my granddad’s farm, or the window shade on the house next door casting its long afternoon shadow on the siding boards, reaching the viewer with my memories and taking them on a journey back in time to their own is the goal.
In 2017 I presented a live painting demonstration to the Stillwater, Oklahoma Artist Guild. I was the artist in residence for the 2018 year as the Verbode Urban Artist. My work was selected to be included in the 2018 ArtNow exhibition with Oklahoma Contemporary. In 2019 I participated in the Oklahoma City Festival of the Arts. OETA/PBS featured me in an artist profile in the program “Gallery America”.
Artist Bio
Dean Wilhite was born in Olton, Texas. He works in acrylics and watercolors. Light and shadow are Wilhite’s great love. Getting the shadow detail right is the key to a successful painting. And the perfect highlight can be magic.
From childhood to life as an adult, he has looked for images that makes him pause and reflect on events from his life. A shadow that crossed the old farm road he traveled down on his granddad’s farm, or the window shade on the house next door casting its long afternoon shadow on the siding boards, reaching the viewer with his memories and taking them on a journey back in time to their own is the goal.
Wilhite studied graphic design at OSU Okmulgee. He has worked as a graphic designer in studios and ad agencies, doing photo retouching, illustration, production art and logo design.
Wilhite has been published in national design journals and books, and worked across a wide range of design disciplines. The illustrative work Wilhite did for the award winning BancFirst television campaign, featuring small towns in Oklahoma, are examples of the bold color pallet that is ever present in his work.
In 2017 Wilhite was be the Urban Core Feature Artist at Verbode in Oklahoma City. My work was selected to be included in the 2018 ArtNow exhibition with Oklahoma Contemporary. In 2019 I participated in the Oklahoma City Festival of the Arts. OETA/PBS featured me in an artist profile in the program “Gallery America”.
Radio Flyer
Yukon Flour Mill
South Face
St Michaels Mill
War Eagle Bridge
White Window
Twin Stacks
Walcourt Window
Nut
Hinge
Dual Vents
Garage View
Ford
Window Wall
