Max Wheaton

Max Wheaton (b. 1991) is an artist based in the Bay Area. His practice spans ceramics, painting, printmaking, and mixed media sculptures. Wheaton frequently references and remixes characters from movies, animated television shows, toys, and pop culture. In each case, he reinvents his subject, adding elements of punk and dark fantasy. He explains, “Art can be funky. It’s about being creative and doing something different. Art is an image of yourself inside of you, and so don’t be scared of it. Be yourself and create in your way.”

Since joining NIAD Art Center in 2024, Wheaton has participated in exhibitions at Richmond Art Center as well as the Main Gallery and Annex Gallery at NIAD. He received the Artistic Achievement Award for his work in Art of the African Diaspora 2025 at Richmond Art Center.  Many of his wall-hanging and freestanding ceramic sculptures were featured in Flesh Vessels (2025), a group exhibition organized by Chinzalée Sonami for the Main Gallery at NIAD. 

Max Wheaton began making art as a child in his grandmother’s vegetable garden. He recalls carving faces into old carrots and cucumbers, and assembling sculptures from discarded, overripe fruit. With each playful composition, he challenged himself to “think like a chef” by balancing textures, colors, smells, and even tastes. This multi-sensory approach has had a lasting impact on his process: Wheaton continues to layer textures and blur the boundaries between portraiture, landscape, and abstraction. 

Since joining NIAD Art Center’s roster in 2024, Wheaton has produced a body of work that includes ceramics, paintings, prints, and mixed media sculptures. He describes his perspective, “I look at everything: anime, history, geek news, sports, politics – anything you can think of. I want to make something like what I’m seeing, but in my own way. I know I can add elements of punk and dark fantasy to make it my own.” 

Many of Wheaton’s recent works feature potent symbols from pop culture and history, drawing inspiration in particular from Egyptian, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh mythology. He explains, “I put a little bit of myself in every piece I make. I have mixed heritage so it makes me more open and able to see the things that we have in common. Right now, I’m thinking about themes of war and peace. Why are we doing all of this fighting? We have the same fears, the same happiness, the same things we want for our kids… It’s just jealousy and sadness that tear us apart. So lots of my paintings are pictures of fear and pictures of light at the same time.”