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 Invitation to Exhibition Opening If you live close by, I'd like to invite you to the opening of my exhibition this Thursday from 5pm, at ORA Gallery, in Wellington. I would be honoured by your presence and hope to see you there.  
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 I have been invited to exhibit as a guest artist at 'The Frame Workshop and Gallery' in Herne Bay, Auckland. My Solar Seduction Series is inspired by quiet thoughts about the beauty of nature. It invites viewers to a realm of luminous light and inner tranquility, celebrating the vibrant tapestry of life illuminated by the sun. I hope you can make it to view these immersive artworks in person. If not, you'll definitely spot them from the road too. ENJOY!  Dawn's Embrace Mixed Media | 1000mm diameter "Dawn's Embrace" is an exquisite portrayal of the silent yet powerful exchange between the human spirit and the celestial dance of light and color. This painting captures the profound moment when the first rays of the sun tenderly greet the world, igniting an emotional response akin to a warm, reassuring hug. At the core of this circular canvas, ruby red simulates the sun's very heart, radiating an energy that expands into a halo of comforting orange. This, in turn, is enveloped by a soothing yellow glow that suggests the boundless light of morning. The use of the circle emphasizes a sense of infinity and completeness, reflecting the artist's exploration of our connection to the larger universe and to the timeless cycles of nature. "Dawn's Embrace" encapsulates a feeling of tranquility and calmness, inviting the viewer to pause and revel in the embrace of the sun's nascent glow, embracing the promise of a new day.  Cosmic Canopy - Embrace of Sky and Verdure Cosmic Canopy - Embrace of Sky and Verdure Mixed Media | 1000mm diameter This artwork is like a magic window to the universe, joining peaceful feelings and the wonder of the sky and earth in a single glance. It all starts at the heart of the circle, where a deep sapphire blue whispers secrets of quiet depths. As your gaze drifts outward, this rich blue lightens, blending into the fresh, hopeful green of new leaves glinting under the sun's gentle touch. As if you're looking up from the forest floor through a break in the trees to the open heavens above. It radiates a sense of connection, to the cosmos and the whispering branches that create a natural roof over our heads. The edges of the painting are kissed by a warm yellow glow, a hint of the sun's playful rays that dance through the canopy and brush against your skin on a lazy afternoon. "Cosmic Canopy" isn't just a feast for the eyes; it's an adventure for the soul, inviting you to pause and lose yourself in the serenity it offers. Every color and every brushstroke comes together to tell a story of harmony and stillness, a celebration of the incredible tapestry that nature weaves around us. Let this painting guide you to a peaceful spot within yourself, a reminder of the vibrant life and still moments that coexist in the world's beautiful chaos. It's a visual symphony of serenity, echoing the quiet jubilation found under the vast, starry sky, wrapped up in one perfect, everlasting circle.  Summer's Azure Embrace Mixed Media | 600mm diameter "Summer's Azure Embrace" is a poetic visual ode to the soul's response to the interplay of light and hue. A delicate work crafted on a circular canvas that whispers tales of infinity and our yearning for a profound connection with the cosmos. This piece is an echo of nature's majesty, a portrayal of its splendor through the serene symphony of colors. At the heart lies a celestial sky blue that captures the essence of a summer sky's clarity and depth, suggesting a wellspring of calmness and peace. This tranquil blue gradually diffuses into an aqua-green glow, a harmonious boundary where the azure dome of the heavens softly kisses the sea's gentle embrace. "Summer's Azure Embrace" is a sanctuary in pigment, channeling tranquility and a reflective state of mind, inviting viewers to bask in the stillness of the season’s warm caress and the embrace between the sky and sea.  Twilight Infinity
Mixed Media | 600mm diameter "Twilight Infinity," a circular tapestry of colour, captures the serene dance between day’s end and night's beginning, where the horizon melts into an embrace with the sea. This painting is a voyage into the depths of our emotional landscape, eliciting a profound connection with nature's ephemeral beauty through the brilliance of its luminosity and colour. The circular canvas, a symbol of infinity and wholeness, contains within it the silent poetry of the twilight sky. At its center, a gentle pink heart glows, evoking the softness of the setting sun's final blush. This innocence of light gracefully transitions into a regal purple, the hue of twilight's crown, reflecting the introspective moment when the day yields to the velvet of impending night. From here, the colors deepen, spreading to an electric glow of soft blue, reminiscent of the first touch of night's cool whisper, bordering on the infinite. The canvas culminates at its edge in a deep sky blue, the color of the ocean's mystery at dusk, suggesting the depths below and the expanse above. In "Twilight Infinity," the observer is not merely a viewer but a participant in the grand continuum, surrendering to the calmness of the transitional sky above an ocean's infinite embrace. It is here, in this border of light and shadow, that tranquility and calm reign supreme, inviting the spirit to drink in the closing of one chapter and the soft anticipation of another. When living in Wanaka, our family would spend weekends enjoying bush walks, swimming and admiring the beauty and grandeur of Mt Aspiring’s Blue Pools, one of my favourite places in the world. My work reflects the current state of harmony of ‘The Blue Pools’, the natural wonders of pure glacial water gathered from the mountains. These pools of deep, clear water flowing into the Makaroa River offer tranquillity. Arising from ‘what is’ and a projected direction of our future, a theme containing transmission of emotion and sensation through an abstract evocation of nature’s energies. Using vital and vivid colour that translates into ‘Blue Pools’ dynamic imagery my work examines and encourages the positive effects of replenishing and maintaining Makaroa River, in particular the positive effects on mankind’s mental, physical and spiritual health. Here are some close ups of work in progress.   Blue Pools, Mt Aspiring
800 x 800mm Acrylic paints and Epoxy Polymer on metal If you would like to view or purchase the completed painting you can do so at the Aspiring Art Prize held in Wanaka. Hollie O’Neill draws on her Kiwi heritage and local inspiration to create powerful art. With her work hanging in art collections, prestigious homes and commercial spaces around the world, Kiwi painter Hollie O’Neill is certainly making waves in the art scene. She discusses how she channels her unique life experiences into distinctive artworks, filled with colour and life they stand as a testament to her ethos of ‘happy chic’.  Photo: Hollie and puppy - Louie, with her first painting of the collection: 'Pink Cow' When did you start painting, did you study or are you self-taught? My painting journey began as a toddler rubbing my fingers through my mother’s oil paintings. I grew up admiring my maternal grandmothers’ landscape paintings as she worked on them in her studio and was interested in my paternal grandmothers’ large-scale cross-stitch works. My mother, sister and I spent most weekends creating, if not with art materials, it was with food. At the age of 12yrs my painting in my first group exhibition sold to a private collector. Receiving 98 and 96 percentage in school painting and printmaking, and winning the ‘Arts trophy’ in my final year at school, set me up with confidence to study Bachelor of Fine Art and then later transferred to Bachelor of Art and Design. I worked as Head of Art Department, as a specialised art teacher, teaching 800 students a year. In my spare time, I created works for group exhibitions for fun, and realised people were attracted towards and wanted to buy my work. In 2002 I founded a private art school, it was not long after that I found myself booked up, painting commissions for prestigious homes and commercial spaces. At this point I continued to teach in the evenings and became a full time Artist.  Photo: Hollie and puppy - Louie, with her painting on canvas: 'Blue Goat' How has your environment shaped your painting? I’ve been lucky to live in some of New Zealand’s most beautiful towns - Kerikeri, Waihi Beach, Wanaka and Auckland; All possessing abundant native bush, birds, animals, beaches and lakes that deeply inspire me. Capturing the power and mystery of nature is a theme that has remained constant throughout my 18 years painting career. Painting is a way for me to share how I see beauty. It has been there for me, to connect me with my environment and my unfolding sense of who I am. How did you go about building a career as a painter? I put myself out there. I entered a few art awards and put my work into group exhibitions. I set up an online presence and people began to discover me through my website, inviting me to showcase my art. Because of group shows, art awards, press and my web presence, galleries began contacting me, wanting to represent my work, and followers of my art grew. There have been milestones along the path of my career that have provided momentum to continue to experiment and create, such as my work collected by James Wallace Arts Trust and being commissioned by other art collectors also. How would you describe the subject matter of your latest collection of work? These playful, large-scale paintings are celebrations that offer a glimpse into my energetic experiences with New Zealand’s favourite animals. Fun, vibrant colours show these majestic animals in their spiritual power. I have chosen animals that ‘kiwis’ along with myself, have grown up with and have nostalgic feelings towards. The ‘portrait’ of the animal painted in strong colour elevates each animal to an iconic status. Permeating through my work is my love of colour - my fascination with colour is as significant as the content itself. These unique paintings will add eccentric flair to any wall and I hope inspire many. “My creativity is inspired by living in New Zealand, and its beauty is reflected in my painting.”  Photo: Hollie with her painting on canvas: 'Blue Highland'
Truth, boldness, and joy are qualities expressed in my recent abstract paintings. Vivid, vital colour and the dynamic nature of imagery arose from energised communion with the sunrise and mirrors the psychic landscape. These landscapes are referenced through a suggestive sunrise and are based on a storehouse of sensual memories. Ones immediate response is focused and promoted by the abstract evocation of natures energies. The infinite space of the colour embodies the order that we search for in the world. It is capable of taking you to a special place, offering a calm connection to something more abiding than oneself, a deeper unity.   “A great silent space holds all of nature in its embrace. It also holds you.” Eckhart Tolle I’m excited to release the first of my latest original fine art collection - ‘Stillness Speaks’. Finest oil paintings on a tondo of belgium linen, revisiting my old time signature subject matter of monochromatic mystical landscapes. Inspired by nature and returning to stillness. It’s when Im in this peaceful state that I feel connected to something greater. And it was during this moment my first painting of the collection ‘Breathing Serenity’ was born.  'Breathing Serenity' (as shown above) seeded in my repetoire one cool wintery evening as I was strolling along the lakeside to ‘That Wanaka Tree’. The sun slipped behind the mountains casting a golden glow which bathed the entire lake, mountains and trees while an intriguing mist lingered from the days constant rain. I couldn’t wait to pick up the paint brushes but with commission work to complete it meant my stretched linen teased me as I demonstrated patience. As I painted this work, a dream came to mind that I had about 10 years ago (downfall of a strong visual memory). This dream spoke to my soul and remained on the edge of my consciousness with unanswered questions - why did I still remember this dream, why did it keep replaying in my mind since our move to Wanaka. Sometimes we are not ready to accept an insight but through my painting I now understand the message of the dream. In the dream I was standing on a piece of land elevated enough to see over Lake Wanaka and the snow capped mountains beyond. My children, husband and his parents were beside us as they were visiting from our home town of Waihi Beach. We were standing on the land admiring and showing off the majestic nature of our new town to our parents. It was a misty morning and the scape was a palette of greys, in my mind so so beautiful. I was in love. What I remember most in this dream was a deep sense of inner connection. That feeling of pure joy, in touch with my essential self and finding ‘home’ within.  In this new collection of ‘Stillness Speaks’ I hope you will also find awareness of nature reminding you there is something greater; a sacred mystery, beauty that cannot be expressed through thought. And that you will be inspired to take a moment in time to quieten your mind and reconnect with your essential self, a place of pure joy.  “Nature can bring you to stillness. That is its gift to you. When you perceive and join with nature in the field of stillness, that field becomes permeated with your awareness. That is your gift to nature.” Eckhart Tolle. |
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