Artist Introduction
Born in Waterford, Ireland , Ken O’Neill is an artist who has cherished painting for the past 20 years. Prior to his current artistic career, he was a successful professional footballer. Injury forced Ken to abandon sport so he was left with the his other great passion, art.
Following his heart, he decided to pursue his dream and dedicate his entire life to painting. In fact, viewing ‘Taking of Christ’ by Caravaggio in the National Gallery in Dublin, when it was first exhibited, was a significant influence on his art and life, and it has fuelled his thirst for creativity ever since. In 2003, O’Neill met Irish painter Louis Le Brocquy, whose advice and guidance allowed him to break free from conceptual confines and fully explore, discover and develop a personal painting style.
A commission to paint 10 casino-style paintings led O’Neill to his current narrative of work, in which series of inter- connected paintings tell a story for the viewer to interpret.