BRIAN O’NEILL
ARTIST’S STATEMENT
I find great satisfaction working with basic raw materials that can be coaxed, nurtured if you will, into objects that have shape and balance - a rhythm in their proportion, scale and surface texture. It is my hope that some of these universal rhythms of nature are embodied in my pieces, evoking the simple strengths that reside in stone and the natural landscape. Most of my forms are vessels. They have an interior and an exterior, the visible form and the more hidden space inside is an anthropomorphic relationship I enjoy exploring. Each piece comes into existence and develops a personality as it evolves, much like all of us. My inspirations are a varied. I’ve got this wabi-sabi meets mid-century modern thing going on, what I’m calling “Modern Primitive”. For me, any design discipline involving the relationship of shape, form and color (architecture, fashion, product design, etc.) all inform my work as well as the beauty of the natural world.