Community Voices: Q&A with Artist Dave White
Don’t miss the opportunity to bid on an hour-long private workshop and conversation session with Dave during the fundraiser in October.
David Preston White, Jr. is an award-winning Philadelphia-based artist, graphic designer, and comic book creator. He has served as Art Director and contributed cover design, layout, and illustrations for a variety of books.
His work has also appeared in Black Arts Quarterly and AAA World Magazine. Mr. White’s work has received a number of awards, including the 2020 Bronze Quill Award from the International Association of Business Communicators and a 2023 Gold Viddy Award from the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals.
Most recently, his artwork was selected by the City of Philadelphia’s Office of Arts, Culture, and the Creative Economy for inclusion in an exhibit at Philadelphia City Hall, “Philadelphia Black History: The People’s Stories” (on view Feb 2024-April 2024).
Q: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CHILDREN’S BOOK?
Q: WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT CREATING ART?
A: When I am fully in the creative zone, my imagination, thoughts and spirit merge into a single current that sweeps through my arm and passes through my fingers onto the surface that I am working on. I have a taste in my mouth as I lay down shapes and color. The taste tells me that I am on the right track.
Q: WHAT HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST SURPRISING THINGS YOU’VE LEARNED AS AN ARTIST OVER THE YEARS?
A: I am learning to embrace uncertainty as I work. It’s rare that my initial idea becomes the final product. I used to strive for the most finished version. Now I try to start rough and explore possibilities that hadn’t initially occurred to me. I tighten the work as the idea solidifies.
Q: WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO MOST ABOUT THE A BOOK A DAY FUNDRAISER IN OCTOBER?
A: A Book a Day is a truly sincere organization. It is truly committed to the community.
Living in West Philly re-connects me to the roots of the community where I grew up in Buffalo, NY. The houses are different but the people are similar. A Book a Day is a way for me to give back to both of these communities. I am beyond excited to be part of any event that supports Book a Day.
Stay tuned for our next post at the end of the month, where we sit down and speak with our speaker for our Community Voices Event, Lola Rooney!
Purchase your tickets here!
Early Bird Special pricing until August 31st.
If you can’t join us at the fundraiser, please consider making a donation to support our efforts to expand literacy through the arts among children in underserved communities.
You can also donate a ticket to help open the door to our community members. Simply purchase your tickets on Eventbrite and send us a note at “abookadayprogram@gmail.com” letting us know how many tickets you would like to donate.