ARTIST STATEMENT I've been making welded steel sculptures since 1993, most from mild steel, some from stainless steel. The surface is either painted, lacquered, or powder coated. Many are semi-abstract pieces, figures in dynamic poses, or whimsical animals. My projects are all 3 dimensional and modular for assembling and transport. I particularly enjoy making sculpture which appears to defy gravity.

"OPERATING IN A NEW MEDIUM" Excerpt from article in The Daily Progress Sunday December 13, 1998 by David A. Maurer The surgical artistry that Dr. Richard Whitehill employs repairing human spines can usually be appreciated only by the patients and those watching in the operating room. The artistry he creates from steel in his workshop, however, can be appreciated at many venues around the Charlottesville area. One of his most prized works, a 15 foot high metal tree, stands in the courtyard of the outpatient building at Fontaine Research Park. "That tree is the international symbol of orthopedics," Whitehill said of the sculpture with 22 welded leaves. "It's a sapling with a curvature, scoliosis, and it's lashed to a post, so as it grows it'll straighten. Orthopedics is all about correcting deformity." The fruits of Whitehill's artistic labor also can be spotted on the grounds where he lives. A bucking horse stands near the driveway, and a windsurfer beside his swimming pool. "My sculptures are a way of dealing with people in a way that is much different from at the hospital, where so many people are injured and sick," said Whitehill. "I hope people feel happy when they look at my pieces." "I saw the new hospital being built back in the late '80s and loved to watch the welders," said Whitehill. "I just had to learn how to weld, so I took a night school course at CATEC (Charlottesville Albemarle Technical Education Center). For a final grade, I built a stick figure of a man dancing. I got an A for that, and it was a real pleasure to see how they enjoyed it." Whitehill has been very generous with his work. He presented some friends who live in Rosemont with a rose sculpture. Another friend who enjoys sport fishing received a sculpture of a marlin. Whitehill gave a sculpture of a hand to Dr. Frank McCue, who specialized in hand surgery at UVA; a metal cervical disk to neurosurgeon Dr. John Jane, and a heart to cardiologist Kurt Tribble. Dr. Shepard Hurwitz, another orthopedic surgeon, has Whitehill's brown Labrador retriever in his yard. "My wife and I both think it's great. Dick is a very talented surgeon, teacher, and now sculptor." Another recipient of Whitehill's sculpture is Charles Hofheimer, a Virginia Beach attorney who received a witty rendition of legal scales. Hofheimer said. "Until he started doing sculptures, I didn't realize he had this artistic side to him. But he was always very disciplined to the task." Whitehill frequently includes in his art the same metallic devices that he implants in surgery. His knowledge of human anatomy and locomotion also helps him create dynamic figures. "What I like to do, at least in the figures, is incorporate some motion." Whitehill's wife, Karen, delights in her husband's sculptures and often offers advice. "Once he started, he never ran out of ideas. He really has a gift for mechanical design, and it has been a wonderful outlet for him." It's clear that Whitehill's hobby is about having fun and sharing his talent with others.

Art Shows and Exhibits: Les Yeux du Monde, Charlottesville, Va. 1997, 1999 Exhibition of Orthopaedics in Art, the Presidio, San Francisco, CA. 2001 Millenium Arts Center, Washington, D.C. April-May, 2001 Bozart Gallery, Charlottesville, Va. 2002-5 Public Installations in Charlottesville: "The Bicycler" - McIntyre Road "Sand Trapper" and "Tennis Players" - Penn Park "Sailing" - Shelter Associates, Free Union "Karate Kicker" - Black Belt Martial Arts Center University of Virginia: "Orthopaedic Tree" - Musculoskeletal Center "Rooster" - Musculoskeletal Center "Snowboarder" - Musculoskeletal Center "Dancing Couple"- Main Hospital Cafeteria "The Swimmer" - UVA Aquatics Center Waynesboro, Virginia: "PCS Logo" Annapolis, Maryland: "Golf Couple" - The Brick Company