Phil R. White is a Canadian artist and sculptor who holds the position of Dominion Sculptor of Canada. He is primarily a figurative and architectural sculptor and carver, and works in stone, wood, and bronze.
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Born in Peterborough, Ontario, in 1963, White was raised in artistic environment and encouraged to be creative. He began carving wood and sculpting at very early age and was greatly inspired by his grandfather, a master stonemason and woodcarver, and also by frequent family trips to British Columbia, where he was exposed to the sculpture of the Haida.
White began selling his work at age 17 in commercial art galleries in Peterborough area, then later in Toronto, and participated in several group shows at Whetung Gallery and Art Loft Gallery from 1982 to 1986.
He studied Art Conservation Techniques at Sir Sandford Fleming College and the Canadian Conservation Institute from 1985-1988 where he studied art history, conservation and restoration of historical artifacts, conservation theory, metal and woodworking techniques, and traditional finishes.
After Graduating from Fleming College, he went on to a career in conservation and museum collection management with both the Canadian War Museum and the Canadian Museum of Civilization in Ottawa. While there, he continued to create sculptures and decorative arts for exhibits and presentations. [1] The highlights of his work at the museums are: a series of sculptures in wood, which were subsequently exhibited at the museum from 1989-2000, [2] the 1998 installation of 18 sphinxes on the courtyard of Canadian Museum of Civilization for the Mysteries of Egypt exhibit, [3], commemorating the anniversary of the Canadian Woman’s Army Corps, [4] and a bronze sculpture of a Cold-War era fighter pilot entitled “QRA scramble”. This sculpture was based on photos of Paul Manson, former Chief of Defence Staff, and is currently on exhibit in the Canadian War Museum’s permanent galleries.
After working on a design for the coat of arms for the Canadian War Museum,[5][6]he developed a keen interest in heraldic art and sculpture, resulting in commissions for heraldic carving for Rideau Hall, The Canadian Heraldic Authority, The Canadian Bar Association, and The Canadian Nurses Association. [7].
White applied to the national competition for the position Dominion Sculptor[8] and was appointed in 2006 [9][10][11]. The Department of Public Works created the position of an official sculptor in 1936 to carry out the decorative work planned by John Pearson, the architect of Parliament Hill’s Centre Block, which was rebuilt after fire destroyed the original building in 1916.
Pearson designed the Centre Block with the intention that future generations of sculptors would create carvings and sculptures from blocks of stone on the inside of the building. The Dominion Sculptor oversees that work, in collaboration with the offices of the Speakers of the House of Commons and the Senate.
More than 25 different types of stone and marble were used in the building’s construction; however, much of the exterior carving is done in Tyndall limestone from Manitoba, and Indiana limestone. Inside, the history and traditions of Canada are reflected in many stone carvings which are the result of the ongoing, intermittent work of over 60 sculptors and carvers since 1916[12].
Some of the projects White has undertaken since 2006 have been a portrait of HRH Queen Elizabeth II in bronze for the House of Commons [13]and a portrait of the Queen, in stone, for the Senate Foyer in 2010, [14][15][16][17][18] as well as a series of carved oak panels depicting insignia of the Canadian Forces, [19] White has also created two bronze busts of Sir Sandford Fleming for the lobbies of Fleming College in Peterborough Ontario, and Lindsay Ontario, and a plaster bust of Fleming for the Haliburton School of the Arts. [20]