Biography
Whitney Sanford is a San Francisco mixed media artist, with a focus on the history of civilization. Recently included in the de Young “Open” exhibit, Sanford is looking forward to upcoming residencies with D’Clinic in Zalaegerszeg, Hungary, and Dentro La Terra in Arielli, Italy. Having worked as a student voice for a large art purchase at Portland Community College and as a research assistant for the late Photography Curator of the Portland Art Museum, Terry Toedtemeier, her work is expansive in productivity, international influence, and a deep root in art history.
Artist Statement
The major theme of my work is exploring the ways we live around the world, searching for our commonality and delving into the separations of culture. In working in mixed media I am able to articulate different nuances through various methods.
With paper cut-outs, I play with imaginative spaces. Illustration lends a graphic element to details of architecture. I use oil painting when I want to add heft and brevity to historic subject matters, or to further explore color. Watercolors offer a frailty in their delicacy, making them the perfect medium for exploring “the beyond”, the remote places that are threatened politically, environmentally, and geographically. As music is the sound of culture, I research historic instruments and what makes a genre (be it revolution, punishment, racial silencing and maintenance of tradition), and with writing, I explore the voices of the areas of interest while adding mine.
With COVID came a pause for international travel and an immense sense of isolation. While exploring our global community, I have also turned inward. With oil paint, I have been exploring what it truly means to be living through this time through self portraiture.
Resume
Hunters Point Shipyard Artists, Spring Open Studios, San Francisco, CA. April 29-30, 2023
Hunters Point Shipyard Artists, San Francisco, CA.Fall Open Studios: October 22-23, 2022
SFWA Gallery, San Francisco, CA. group show, “Color Pop!”: April 2023
Jennifer Perlmutter Gallery, Lafayette, CA in the group show "Shift". 06/05/2021-07/10-2021
The De Young Open, San Francisco, CA. October 10-January 3, 2021.
Publications:
Florence Contemporary Gallery; 03/2021
https://issuu.com/florencecontemporarygallery/docs/catalogo_20201
Artsy Shark, Featured Artist;
03/2020;
Ponder Savant; 03/2020;
https://pondersavant.com/2020/03/
22/whitney-sanford-online-open-
Artsy Shark; 04/2020;
https://www.artsyshark.com/2020/0
Florence Contemporary, 03,2020;
https://issuu.com/florencecontempo
rarygallery/docs/catalogo_20201
Art Resourcery, 02/2020;
https://artresourcery.com/inspiratio
n/featured-artist/whitney-sanford/?
fbclid=IwAR1CrPmoVPnX6pXeWjhs_
Average Art 43; February Issue;
02/2020;
https://averagearts.bigcartel.com/pr
Daylighted, 01/2020;
https://www.daylighted.com/search/
Dafne Project, Lisbon; 12/2019;
IwAR2bgTwkkcAGGyqKhqzotDIt1pYj
dITkehwxyyHjy6cE5B8JUZHedpWz
hJw
The Tall Creative, 12/20/19;
https://tallartgrl.blogspot.com/
WotisArt, 11/20/2019
https://wotisart.bigcartel.com/produ
Creative Boom, 11/4/2019
https://www.creativeboom.com/insp
Artwort, 11/18/2019
https://www.artwort.com/2019/11/21
/arte/the-way-we-live-whitney-
Awards
2021: Art Contemporary Online gallery; Honorable Mention for “Colors”
2020: June: Rice Initiative,
Barcelona; https://www.rice-
initiative.com/rice-gallery-1
2020:May: Gallery Ring, Finalist for
Color. https://www.galleryring.org/
2020: April: Art Room Gallery finalist
https://www.artroomgalleryonline.co
m/
2020: March: Artavita finalist
https://www.artavita.com/
2020: March: Light, Space, Time
Gallery, Special Recognition for
Excellence in Art;
https://www.lightspacetime.art/figur
ative-art-exhibition-2020-painting-
2020, January: Circle Arts
Foundation, Honorable Mention for
Artist of the Year Award;
arts.com/artistoftheyear-2019-
Exhibition
Solo Shows:
2017: Asiento
San Francisco, California
2003: Adell McMillan Gallery
University of Oregon
2002: Morning Glory Cafe
Eugene, Oregon
2001: Morning Glory Cafe
Eugene, Oregon
2001: Out of the Fog Cafe
Eugene, Oregon
Group Shows:
2020: December: New Perspectives
in Drawing and Painting; St Louis,
Missouri
2020: November; Art Room Gallery,
“Contemporary”;
https://www.artroomgalleryonline.co
m/
2020: November; Artspan:
https://www.artspan.org/home,
San Francisco, California
2020: November; Art Gallery Ring;
https://www.galleryring.org/
2020: September; The Mission KISS,
https://m.facebook.com/Themission
kiss/
2020: August; Big Ink and 3 Fish
Studios, print project;
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/
mobile/folders/1pURh7kY2vo4R1Mw
O0cDb4P3i74rCtaim?
usp=sharing&mc_cid=752d446a44&
mc_eid=18d2788d90
2020: March 16-June 13; Arc Gallery,
SF; “Reflections”; https://www.arc-
sf.com/reflections1.html
2020: May; Rice Initiative, Barcelona.
https://www.rice-
initiative.com/freshrice-shortlisted-
artists
2020: May; Tricera Inc
https://www.tricera.net/
2020: May; Gallery Ring, Online;
“Color”;
https://www.galleryring.org/colour-
may-2.html
2020: April; Light, Space and Time
Gallery, Online; "Figurative";
https://www.lightspacetime.art/figur
ative-art-exhibition-2020-painting-
2020: March; Florence
Contemporary”
https://www.florencecontemporary.c
om/
Florence, Italy
2020: March; The Drawing Room,
"Women Rising"; San Francisco.
California
2020: February; Circle Foundation
And the Tokyo International Fair;
Tokyo, Japan
2020: January; Art Resourcery;
https://artresourcery.com/
2020: January; Average Art
Magazine; United Kingdom
2019: December; Adobe Books, Art
Shop, San Francisco
2019: May; SFMOMA Friday
Submissions.
San Francisco, California
2017: MiniBar,
San Francisco, California
2014: Wonderland, Chillin’
Productions
Mezzanine, San Francisco
2004: Garage Gallery
Portland, Oregon
2004: Portland Community College,
Art Beat
2004 Abbey Cafe
Portland Oregon
2004: Regional Arts and Culture Council
2003: Saladin Gallery
Portland, Oregon
2002: Windows Alive
Portland, Oregon
2002: Adell McMillan Gallery,
University of Oregon,
Eugene, Oregon
2002: Jawbreaker Gallery
Eugene, Oregon
2002: Jawbreaker Gallery
Eugene, Oregon
2001: Jawbreaker Gallery
Eugene, Oregon
1996: Santa Clara County High
School Art Competition
De Anza College
Cupertino, California
Internships:
2004: Portland Art Museum, Terry Toedtmeier. Research Assistant. Documenting the history of photography in the Pacific Northwest from 1850-1950. Tasks included documenting 50 artists’ oeuvres and the authenticity of provenance.
Volunteer:
2004: Portland Community College, “Art Beat”, Mini mural Project. This project involved producing murals on campus as performance and community involvement.
2000-2002: Jawbreaker Gallery, Free Skool classes. Project involved hosting figure drawing classes and open studio events, helping with installation set-up, general upkeep of the gallery, ordering, stocking, shelving, advertising, fundraising, hosting benefits and projects.
Commissions:
Current: Bhuna Restaurant
Portland, Oregon
2017: Photography
Craig Merchant