Elaine O'Neil, Painter
Growing up in rural Maine, textile collage artist Elaine O’Neil enjoyed an idyllic childhood where she ran barefoot in the green fields, played hide-and-seek in her family’s big red barn, picked sweet peas and ate blueberry pie. As an adult, when Elaine visualizes a scene or commissioned theme, her childhood memories spring to life infused with color, texture and a quirky wistfulness found only where the heart and mind connect; a place where bucolic cows graze upon the greener side of pastures and drying clothes dance on lines strung with sunshine. The views from Elaine’s Chapel Hill windows look onto midnight blue hills under fat yellow crescent moons, on wet black cats balanced on birdbaths, where wide white Adirondack chairs wait to be shared. Her textile collages shape themselves around moments of ease and fancy — where time melts into backgrounds, and foregrounds are filled with life's touchstones.
O'Neil graduated from the Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science, with a degree in textile design. As great-granddaughter to a lighthouse keeper, granddaughter to a farmer, daughter of an ardent seamstress, and mother to three sons, O'Neil's ties to her past are ever present. Her work has been featured and exhibited in galleries from the coast of Maine, to midtown Manhattan, to shops in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina.
My artistic process begins with the simple, pure memories of my childhood. I strive to conjure up the essence of those good times and capture them through whimsy and color, stitching them together with a sense of humor and delight. I call the finished result, "textile collage."
I began sewing as a girl, winning 4-H contests and making all of my clothes. In college, I designed fabrics, enjoying the created effect of color and texture combinations. Later, while a stay-at-home mom with our three young sons, I began creating "scenes" and portraits of a family boat ride, a cow farm, or a seaside picnic. When a gallery noticed and responded to the scenes, my art career was launched .
I approach each textile collage with a simple sketch. Then through snips and cuts, my scissors, like a painter’s brush, slowly reveal the image. Layer upon layer of fabric, stitched into place using a variety of colors and textures, brings the piece to life. A sideways glance and smile, a crescent moon, and a certain quirkiness are signatures of my work. In each piece I create, my hope is to evoke the kind of pleasure and delight of childhood, when life is simple, sweet, and full of endless possibilities. Images of home, pets, and family gatherings are my most often requested commissions; I feel fortunate to be a part of those good moments and special occasions.
