Kathryn O'Neill

Artist Statement

I am very much a Colourist, and my preference is acrylic paint on canvas. My subject matter varies, but it is the use of a carefully chosen colour palette for each piece that is the underlying common thread. Mood and feelings are evoked by this powerful and mysterious force we call "colour". Red is exciting, blue is calming, yellow is cheerful - the colours of paint on the brush each have something to say before they even touch the canvas, and their combinations merge with the subject matter to create a definite mood for each piece. A world without colour is unimaginable; with it - magical as a sunset.
I want my work to first give the viewer a pleasant sense of harmony due to the colour palettes and detailed craftsmanship. I am inspired by both the beauty and complexity of nature, and in my landscapes, florals, and wildlife paintings I work toward these two goals. Having traveled widely, many countries can be seen - from Caribbean waterfalls to a Bangkok sunrise.
My Surrealist work is more recent has further aims; it delves into the world of the unconscious. Many of the paintings involve statues, but they are not just standing in a park somewhere - they appear to be actively engaged in an activity, and froze...

B.Ed., Major in Fine Arts from McGill University in Montreal, Quebec, Canada