Justin White graduated in 2006 from William and Mary as an Art and English double major. While his career path into ministry took him in a different direction, the itch to create never left. In 2023 he determined to take painting from an occasional escape to a focused habit. Along the way his work has received recognition in Figure, Portrait, and Open competitions, from appearances in Art&Color365’s publication as well as ArtFluent, Gallerium, and Artistonish. In 2025 he held his first solo exhibit "Face Value" at Art Central Gallery in Phoebus and was a part of the CAN Foundation's "TenFold" show in Newport News.

Where work in ministry has allowed Justin to serve people, his art and portraiture unlock a way of celebrating people. Put simply, his mission in art is to celebrate people- and more broadly- all of Creation.

Artist Statement

My portrait painting flows from the Hebraic teaching that the Creator sang creation into being. I am captivated by the idea that my portraits and paintings can harmonize with that creative chorus. As a result, I find deep satisfaction in my work when it honors the value of the individual, captures their likeness in oil paint, and holds its own as a quality composition. My goal in portrait painting is to usher people toward not just the subject’s personality, but also what their significance is to me. If a person has left an imprint on my life, I feel inspired to pass it forward onto a painted canvas. In a culture where our fidgety focuses rarely pause long enough to behold the beauty in the humanity around us, I consider it a win whenever a painting serves as an introduction to a human life – whether it is somebody I know, a historical figure, or even a character from fiction.