Lala O'NEIL

What I am obsessed with is the paint. It is not just a material I use to make my art. It is a conspirator, a partner in my process. My subjects and processes are varied but my art is mostly about the paint. There is a special magic that happens when the paint and I consider a subject – we hope to engage smell, taste, sound, touch and sight and establish an emotional connection. The paint gives me freedom to depict a subject in whatever way I choose or feel. At the same time, I endeavor to give the paint the same freedom.

I love the process of painting. I love to think about what I am going to paint: planning the colors and the shapes and the mood. I love the beginning when I am unsure where the painting will go. I love the struggle that happens in the middle when parts of the painting are working and parts aren’t and I am not sure which is which. I love when my painting is complete and tells the story I want to tell and nudges the viewer to feel what I feel. I love how big a canvas becomes after I paint it.

I was inspired to paint at an early age by my father. He came from a family filled with professional and amateur artists and he shared his love of painting with his five children, allowing us to paint in oils when very young. I have a BA in Math and Economics and an MS in Economics and worked in my field until I had my children. Once they were old enough, I have been able to follow my dream to return to painting.