2008 Woodie Awards
Australian artist Fran O'Neill to be featured at Steel Plant Gallery
Tricia Carr
Issue date: 10/26/06 Section: Entertainment
- Page 1 of 1
Every artist has doubts when starting a career, but what made Fran O'Neill not back down was her drive to succeed in the art world. O'Neill, an Australia native whose work will be on display in the Steel Plant Art Gallery's next exhibit, became the artist she is today because of her persistence.
"Don't give up when the going gets tough," is O'Neill's advice to aspiring artists.
She said someone could have a bad day or even a bad year, but an artist has to keep growing.
O'Neill is currently the Dean's Assistant at the New York Studio School. She helps the dean design each program and interviews potential students.
Growing up in Wanjaracta, Australia, O'Neill always had a really strong urge to draw, but her family pushed her towards architecture. In her senior year of high school, she took science and math courses, but as she handed in a chemistry lab she said to herself, "What am I doing?" O'Neill talked to a career counselor at her high school and was able to finish off high school taking the art classes she enjoyed. The next year, she moved to Melvin, a city in Australia she describes as a quarter of the size of New York City, to attend Monah.
Though she began painting in high school, she only completed simple works. In college, she worked on more large scale works and got to explore a lot more. While painting in college, O'Neill wasn't sure it was something she would like to do in the future.
"I had trouble getting the paint on the canvas," she said.
Coincidentally, O'Neill decided to take a painting class with a teacher who came from New York, NY. The teacher really inspired her.
"I learned how to actually look at and make a painting," O'Neill said.
In Melvin, she did her first large group of works.
In the summer of 1998, she decided to spend the summer in New York. She had planned to stay for eight weeks, but enjoyed it so much that she had her family ship her things from Melvin so she could stay.
O'Neill's outlook on art changed when she came to the city. New York had much bigger collections.
"There's so much more variety and exposure because of the large population," she said.
In her opinion, it's so easy for Australians to get to New York and show their works there because New York has a place for everyone to fit. O'Neill does enjoy the city setting but said her background will always influence her.
"There's a sense of space in Australia that can't be found anywhere else," she said.
O'Neill's work will be on display starting today in the Steel Plant Art Gallery in "Genuine," an exhibit featuring five female painters including Donise English of the Marist Art Department.
"Don't give up when the going gets tough," is O'Neill's advice to aspiring artists.
She said someone could have a bad day or even a bad year, but an artist has to keep growing.
O'Neill is currently the Dean's Assistant at the New York Studio School. She helps the dean design each program and interviews potential students.
Growing up in Wanjaracta, Australia, O'Neill always had a really strong urge to draw, but her family pushed her towards architecture. In her senior year of high school, she took science and math courses, but as she handed in a chemistry lab she said to herself, "What am I doing?" O'Neill talked to a career counselor at her high school and was able to finish off high school taking the art classes she enjoyed. The next year, she moved to Melvin, a city in Australia she describes as a quarter of the size of New York City, to attend Monah.
Though she began painting in high school, she only completed simple works. In college, she worked on more large scale works and got to explore a lot more. While painting in college, O'Neill wasn't sure it was something she would like to do in the future.
"I had trouble getting the paint on the canvas," she said.
Coincidentally, O'Neill decided to take a painting class with a teacher who came from New York, NY. The teacher really inspired her.
"I learned how to actually look at and make a painting," O'Neill said.
In Melvin, she did her first large group of works.
In the summer of 1998, she decided to spend the summer in New York. She had planned to stay for eight weeks, but enjoyed it so much that she had her family ship her things from Melvin so she could stay.
O'Neill's outlook on art changed when she came to the city. New York had much bigger collections.
"There's so much more variety and exposure because of the large population," she said.
In her opinion, it's so easy for Australians to get to New York and show their works there because New York has a place for everyone to fit. O'Neill does enjoy the city setting but said her background will always influence her.
"There's a sense of space in Australia that can't be found anywhere else," she said.
O'Neill's work will be on display starting today in the Steel Plant Art Gallery in "Genuine," an exhibit featuring five female painters including Donise English of the Marist Art Department.
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