Born in Miami, Florida, Woody De Othello earned his BFA from Florida Atlantic University before completing his MFA at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco. He gained recognition for his distinctive approach to ceramics, which challenges the traditional rigidity of the medium by creating sagging, elongated, and expressive representations of common domestic items.

His practice centers on the intersection of the human form and the objects that populate our daily lives, often utilizing a vibrant glaze palette to imbue inanimate items with a sense of personality and psychological weight. His work frequently references his Haitian heritage and the cultural significance of domestic spaces.

De Othello continues to be a prominent figure in contemporary sculpture, with his work held in major institutional collections. His inclusion in significant museum acquisitions, such as the recent expansion of the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, underscores his ongoing influence in the field of contemporary ceramics.