Brian O’Neill, alumni of our Waichulis academy in PA, opened his solo show “Aura” at the Abend Gallery on Friday the 26th. “Aurora,” is a stunning abstract project that uses mixed media pieces crafted with oil, acrylic, resin, 24K gold & white gold leaf on panel. You can experience the show in person at the Abend Gallery in Denver, CO until may 14th. Below you can read Brian’s artist statement:
Aura the distinctive atmosphere or quality that seems to be generated by a person, place, or thing.
Inspiration for my abstract work in derived from the natural world. My compositions are influenced by elements one would find in a traditional landscape artwork, such as horizon, sweeping vistas, layered textures and so on. However, this collection, Aura, is about capturing ephemeral qualities of light, breath, and our own internal response to nature’s majestic beauty.Several pieces in the collection clearly tell you this is a landscape painting with the inclusion of pines tree silhouettes, while the remainder ask you to take a deep dive into your imagination and discover where you are, how do you in feel in relation to that space, and what is awakened in you? There are no wrong answers. I used a large pallet knife, gliding paint in transparent passes, scraping and revealing underpainting, as if exposing memories, layers of time, rock, mineral, or parts of the cosmos. All of this is juxtaposed by soft sweeping gradations of glowing metallics and carefully blended colors to offer a place of rest. The final layer that initial greets the viewer is resin. The sleek and modern finish of the resin creates an interesting tension and harmony with the emotion carried in these works. The color pallet is pulled from the night sky, the depths of the oceans, a blazing setting sun, and the serenity and stillness that glows at twilight.
– Brian O’Neill
You can find more of Brian’s work here: Brian O’Neill Studio
