Profile

Artist statement

Eileen White works within the expanded field of analogue photography, site-specific installations and artist books to explore and make visible her experience of being in a specific landscape, alongside an awareness of our entanglements to place, time and in particular, our impact on Nature.

Researching alternative ways to think about her relationship with the Earth that are less environmentally destructive, she uses an ethical and caring framework to create slow, repetitive, low-tech print and photographic works. Her processes interweave an embodied methodology that is often uncalibrated, such as making alternative chemistries from plants, using waste materials to make printing substrates and cameras, alongside composting and gardening. This creates a nuanced way of image-making that isn’t purely representational; instead, it enables her to gain a more grounded, intrinsic understanding of the landscape she observes, whilst creating an alternative system of economics and facilitating an ongoingness which has become her form of performative activism.

Her interest in the handmade is almost ritualistic, and her work often has a hushed, delicate presence. Eileen refers to her work as ‘hauntings’, personal collections of visual mappings and careful chartings of what is in transience.

The resulting work aims to entice the viewer into another world; to create both a connection and a longing to know more, as well as new forms of attention, sensitivity and thought.

Eileen received her BA in Fine Art Textiles from Goldsmiths, University of London and an MA (Distinction) in Print at the Royal College of Art, London. She has exhibited work internationally and worked with a variety of heritage organisations such as English Heritage and The National Trust, as well as private museums and galleries. Eileen continues to work in the education sector as a lecturer and teacher, as well as facilitating many workshops.

2023 MA Print, Royal College of Art, London.
2017 Arts Award, Education and Training, Trinity College London.
2016 PTTLS, Education and Training, Eastleigh College, Hampshire.
1996 BA (Hons) Fine Art Textiles, Goldsmiths’ College, University of London.
2025
The Endless Turn and Return’ Solo Show, The Arc, Winchester. 2025
2024
‘Symbiosis’ London Alternative Photographic Collective, Hundred Years Gallery

2023
‘Hull International Photography Festival’, Hepworth’s Arcade,
‘Quiet Resistance’ Safehouse, London.
‘Porous Light’ Espacio Gallery, London,
‘Edgeland’, The Yellow Gallery, St Tudy, Cornwall
‘RCA2023’ Graduate Show, Truman Brewery, London.
‘PhotoFrome’, Frome Library, Somerset
‘Brink’ 2030 Collective, Hangar Gallery, Royal College of Art, London
‘WAAITT’ Easter Gallery, Hackney, London
Southwark Park Gallery, RCA MA Print Exhibition. London
‘Nature's Endurance’ Artworks, Halifax
‘Beyond Silver’ The Hive Birmingham, London Alternative Photographic Collective

2022
‘3rd Floor Show’ Royal Collage of Art, London
‘Anxiety of Interdisciplinary Practice’ UWE exhibition & online publication

2021
‘Wish You Were Here’ charity fundraising event for ArtRefuge.
‘Osmosis’ Degrees of Freedom, Espacio Gallery, London
‘Lockdown Re-Framed’, The Gallery, Mottisfont National Trust, Hampshire

2020
‘Re-connections’ The Upright Gallery, Edinburgh
‘In and Of The Land’, Photofringe, Phoenix, Brighton
‘WIP Show’, Royal College of Art, London

2019
‘Everything I Ever Learnt’ Shutterhub, ARB, University of Cambridge

2018
‘Friends of Interpretable Spaces’, St Augustine's Tower, Hackney, London.
‘Woman's Hour Craft Prize’, Mottisfont, National Trust, Hampshire
‘Sydenham Arts Trail’, Mayow Gardens, London

2017
‘Devonshire Guild of Craft’ Exhibition, Stockbridge, Hampshire
‘Hyde 900’ Project Space, Hampshire
‘Built’ Exhibition, 23 Sandy Gallery, Portland, Oregon, USA
‘Perceptions’ Exhibition, Cupola Gallery, Sheffield
‘Fresh’ Rural Arts, Thirsk, North Yorkshire

2016
‘International Postcard Show’, Surface Gallery, Nottingham

2015
‘Space Interrupted’, Fort Brockhurst, Portsmouth
‘Platform Project’ Art Athina, Lubomirov-Easton, Athens, Greece
‘7 x 7 makers’, Making Space, Hampshire

2014
‘Sites of Exchange’ Space Gallery, Portsmouth University

2013
‘8th space’ Aspex Gallery, Portsmouth
‘Silent Conversations’ 10 days ‘Creative Collisions’ Winchester Cathedral
‘Impressions’, Jane Austen House Museum, Alton, Hampshire

2012
‘Leylines’, St Bartholomew’s Church, Winchester, Hampshire
‘Creative Force’ Winchester Discovery Centre, Hampshire
‘Farnham Maltings Show’ Farnham
‘Cutting Edge’, The Gallery, Mottisfont National Trust

2011
‘Vintage at Southbank’, Wayne Hemingway, Royal Festival Hall, London
‘Past Matters’, Winchester Discovery Centre
‘Artcare’, Salisbury Hospital, Hampshire
2024
Into The Fold, Winchester School of Art

2023
PhotoFrome, Frome Library, Somerset
2019
Frome Small Publisher's Fair, The Silk Mill, Frome, Somerset
(BABE) Bristol Artist’s Book Event, Arnolfini Gallery, Bristol
2018
Wayzgoose, British Printing Society, Southampton
Turn the Page, Artist Book Event, Norwich
Artist Book Event, Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art, Newcastle
2017
Oxford Print Fair, Modern Art Oxford
Artist Book Market, The Arches, Southampton
Artist Book Market, Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art
(BABE) Bristol Artist’s Book Event, Arnolfini Gallery
2015
Sketchbook Project, Brooklyn Library, New York
5th Sheffield International Artist’s Book Event
(BABE) Bristol Artist’s Book Event, Arnolfini Gallery
4th Sheffield International Artist’s Book Eventere
2022 - 2023
Chelsea Physic Garden, London

2021
'Return to the Light' Lumen Collective, London

2020
The Sustainable Darkroom, 'Rework' with Guest Projects & The London Alternative Photography Collective

2019
The National Trust, Mottisfont House, Hampshire
Winchester School of Art, Southampton University, Hampshire.
2023
‘Hyundai Award for Excellence in Sustainability and Creative Practice’, Royal College of Art Intelligent Mobility and Design

2014
‘7 x 7 Makers’ Making Space Development Award

2013
Aspace Talent Development Bursary, Arts Council England

2010
Grants for the Arts Award, Arts Council England

2008 - 2010
Impact Art Apprenticeship, Artbase, Southampton
2015
‘Encounters Project’ Test Valley Borough Council

2013
‘Cumberland House Museum’, Portsmouth

2012
‘New Creatives’ Aspex Gallery/Portsmouth University, Andover Lights, Theatre & Art Centre
2012
‘Bordon Project’, Phoenix Theatre & Arts Centre
2011
‘Enliven Project’, Eastleigh Borough Council
Rangoli Project’, ArtAsia, Southampton
2010
Waterlooville Children’s Library’, Hampshire County Counciln
2025
'Back to Basics 2' publication Sustainable Darkroom Publication
2024
Back to basics: a guide to Ecolgoical Photochemistry' Sustainable Darkroom Publication
2023
Hinterland – a collective playbook for making art outdoors, published by Foundation Press, Baltic Newcastle. February

2022
Resource, The Sustainable Darkroom

2021
Off the Mainstream, Off the Mainstream Collective

2020
This is not a Solution (still) London Alternative Photographic Collective

2017
Artist Yearbook

2016
Artist Yearbook
British Artist Bookmakers
Victoria & Albert Museum, London
Tate Modern, London
John Purcell, London
Royal College of Art, London
Metropolitan University of Cardiff, Special Collections, UK
University College, Los Angeles, USA
The University of Michigan Hatcher Library, USA
Seattle Art Museum, USA
Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton, Special Collections, UK
Sheffield International Artists Books' Collection, UK

CV

Eileen also works as a freelance educator and lecturer working with museums, galleries, organisations and institutions. She designs bespoke workshops to run alongside exhibition programmes and educational curriculums.

Educational workshops pdf download