From Seattle where it was created, to California where it was discovered, to Park City where it now resides in an $11 million dollar estate just down the street from Michael Jordan’s —this is the 6yr journey of one of my shark collages. This parallels much of my art pieces: how they find their way from studio to their new home. Perhaps there are several exhibitions in between with no buyers: even beautiful artwork has to experience delayed gratification to get to the right buyer. Just because it could take years before a sale does not the mean the art is lacking in quality—it just takes the right person to buy it. People coo over it and express their lovely remarks—yet they don’t buy it. Kind of like romance: someone gets scooped up and married years before you—doesn’t mean you are less worthy or less attractive than they. No buyers, plenty of admirers and close calls, then—BOOM!—one day, you get that one special person. Fate plays so much into this art realm I have learned: you can situate yourself all day, but its going to come down to preparation meeting opportunity (AKA luck most times) and success follows. I wrote a poem years ago that reflects this very sentiment:

Some people are given kerosene and light their fire in a day. Others are given sticks and it takes a lifetime. No matter what, everyone will have the chance to light their fire. Be steadfast in your faith and relentless in the pursuit.

It’s December 2023 and that shark is now hanging in the living room of one of the poshest houses in Utah. In a way I live vicariously through my art; this piece and I have come a long way. I have a whole collection on sharks titled “Outliers” and here is the premise behind that:

“I CHOSE THE NAME "OUTLIERS" NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT DENOTES THIS COOL ALOOFNESS TO SOCIETY WHEN PEOPLE THINK OF THE TERM BUT ITS PRODUCTIVITY IS UNDERSTATED: ME AS THE ARTIST ON A PERSONAL LEVEL (WE HAVE TO SPEND ALOT OF TIME IN SOLITUDE CREATING AND BUILDING UP OUR BRANDS) AND MY SHARKS AS THE SUBJECTS (BECAUSE THEY ROAM SOLO IN THE OCEAN AND NOTHING HAS THEIR BACK) ON THE MAINSTAGE . THE SHARKS REFLECT THE ARTIST AND VISA VERSA. COME TO THINK OF IT, ENTREPRENEURSHIP IS THE NAME OF THE GAME THESE DAYS AND SO MANY PEOPLE HAVE THEIR OWN THING GOING ON. WE ALL HAVE THAT INDEPENDENT SPIRIT--THAT LITTLE OUTLIER IN US. AS AN ARTIST TODAY, I USE SHARKS TO DENOTE THAT REFRACTION FROM THE STATUS QUO "9 TO 5 JOB." THIS SENTIMENT REFLECTS THOSE PEOPLE DIVERTING FROM THE PROVERBIAL SALMON SCHOOL/HOMOGENOUS INDUSTRIES AND DOING GREAT THINGS WITH THEIR INNOVATIVE MINDSETS.

DIGGING A LITTLE DEEPER INTO MY MINDSET, I THINK THAT ON A MORE SUBCONSCIOUS LEVEL WHAT INTRIGUES ME ABOUT SHARKS IS THAT I GREW UP WITH ONE: MY FISHERMAN CAPTAIN DAD. HE DIDN’T STAY WITH THE REST OF THE FLEET—HE WAS MORE THAN EAGER TO DISAPPEAR MILES AWAY FROM THE NORMAL FISHING GROUNDS. HE WAS A ROGUE ONE, A LONE WOLF—AN ENIGMA OF SORTS—AND THAT’S WHAT MADE HIM THE FIRST OUTLIER I KNEW IN LIFE.”

-WHITNEY

——> Click here to see see my full shark collection called “Outliers” ! <——-