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Todd began his career in art at Warner Bros. Studios while working on the popular series, Tiny Toons. Through character clean-up and development, Todd began to forge his own artistic style. Shortly thereafter, Todd became part of the lead animation team for the internationally renowned cartoon, Sponge Bob Square Pants. Over the next three years, Todd sharpened his eye in storyboarding, illustration and character design. Throughout this period, Todd privately experimented with style and concept, eventually arriving at a process which guides him through every piece. The impact is apparent in his paintings: Todd’s Rat-Pack-meets-Picasso style results in part, from his desire to reveal his characters’ innermost thoughts and emotions on their faces. Todd likens his portraits to his favorite episode of the “Twilight Zone” in which people wore masks that later became their faces and revealed who they truly were. Fast-forward ten years later, and until Todd can conceptually see the story in his head, he refuses to paint a single signature knuckle curled around one of his famous martinis. “I actually name my pieces first, then I visualize each face and its personality. Then I develop each person’s story." | The stark, unblemished delivery of his subjects is very much intended: “Whatever isn’t necessary to the story isn’t on my canvas. I don’t waste a lot of time with backgrounds because they don’t interest me. They aren’t necessary. Instead I focus on what is essential. For example, the hands.” Hands are a focal point for Todd, reflecting the subject’s state of mind as much as any body language for facial expression. “Everyone’s hands are full of personality,” he surmises. “Take Al Pacino; without his hands, he’s not nearly as interesting to watch.” In addition to more obvious influences, such as Austrian expressionist Egon Schiele, Todd credits Frank Sinatra, Audrey Hepburn, Bridget Bardo, Nat King Cole and the style and feel of “The Age of Cool”. However, Todd’s flirtation with the “Cool Cats” begins and ends on the canvas. On any given afternoon, you’ll find Todd’s paint-stained hands scooping trail mix to feed wild rabbits or throwing a well worn rubber ball for his dogs. Todd keeps his afternoons free because of the one trait he has in common with Ol’ Blue Eyes: Todd feels he does his best work “in the wee small hours of the morning”. Todd resides in Southern California with his dogs Katie & Brittany...and a few local rabbits. Click here to view the video Montage of Todd White Painting. |
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Todd White captures restaurant, night and Hollywood scenes with contrasting colors serving the viewer’s eyes as those in his stolen scenes serve or are served wine, coffee, cigarettes, cigars, martinis and sex. Each character depicts the subtleties of what one shows and one hides. An asymmetrical face tells of an asymmetrical life, of how life wears and how we wear life – what we choose to carry in our hands & on our faces – how we wear ourselves, what smoke & color we stand in. |
