The evening before this conversation, White and his teammates delivered a decisive victory at the VISAA Indoor Track & Field State Championships, taking 1st place by more than 20 points. “We broke our school record in the 4x200,” White said. “And I placed third in the 300 with a PR. I’ve been working really hard, even dealing with some injuries, so I am feeling very proud.”
 
In fact, it was injuries suffered during his sophomore football season that helped White find his way into his passion for art, something he didn’t develop until he entered Upper School. “Three years ago, after getting injured, I needed to find something to do in my life besides sports. Mr. Sanchez [Upper School Art teacher at St. Catherine’s], encouraged me to try art after seeing some of my drawings in my ceramics class.”

White took Sanchez’s advice and began learning from tutorials and classes he could find on YouTube. Soon, though, he found his way into Sanchez’s art room.

“At first, I tried to reach a really high level of realism in my art, instead of just focusing on the process. The thing that has helped me the most is becoming okay with failing. The faster you fail, the better you get.”

White continues, “Most of my work is process-based now, and I really enjoy the freedom of fixing and reworking my pieces.

“Art helps me escape perfectionism. In track, everything has to be perfect, and I can become obsessed in a way that causes me to overthink or feel stress. With art, I can just create for myself. I can obsess freely, without the pressure.”

“Maddox approaches his practice with a rare and invigorating sense of curiosity, embracing risk as an essential part of his artistic evolution,” said Sanchez. “His work reflects a fearless engagement with materials and ideas—each piece a testament to hours spent experimenting, refining, and thoughtfully studying the artists who inspire him. Time and again, he has surpassed expectations. Maddox possesses an immediacy in his responses to the world around him—an instinctive, almost kinetic energy that drives his creative process forward.”
 
White’s work has developed quite a following, and he had his first solo gallery show in The Armfield Gallery this winter. “It was unreal. I couldn’t believe I sold work,” White said. “One teacher even bought a piece while I was making it.” White’s original artwork also graced the front of the St. Christopher’s holiday card this year.
 
As for next steps, White plans to continue both his artistic and athletic journey in college: he’s committed to study art and run track at Virginia Commonwealth University. But as he gets ready to depart St. Christopher’s, White has some advice for younger boys who might be curious about their own talents:

“You have to experiment, and don’t worry about being perfect. Just create for yourself.”