Artist of the Month

Byron O’Neal

TAL: How and when did you start creating art?

BO : I’ve been interested in photography since I was really old enough to understand what it was. I love the arts in general, and spent almost a decade and a half working with live art in various formats. More recently, I got serious about photography while living in Colorado and working long, grueling hours as the technical director of a theatre. Photography became an escape into the outdoors after being stuck inside for long periods of time. Knowing that I wanted to transition from supporting artists to becoming one myself was a gradual process. I’ve been working as a full-time professional photographer for almost two years now.

TAL: What media and genres do you work in?

BO : I work exclusively with photography at this point. Genre is a little more difficult to pinpoint. Sometimes my work is abstract, sometimes fantasy, sometimes figural. I occasionally do florals or landscapes, but only when I can put my own unusual spin on them.

TAL: Who or what are your influences?

BO : Jackson Pollock, Diego Rivera, Picasso, Frederic Rezine, Shepard Fairey, and a few other modern graffiti artists. I also am inspired by haiku. My friends and family lament how overly wordy I can be, so seeking to capture the essence of a thing, succinctly and completely is both challenging and fulfilling. And I realize it’s a little trite, but my family inspires me every day to keep producing art, be happy, and be the best artist I can be.

TAL: What was your inspiration for ""?

BO : My inspiration was kind of spontaneous in this case. I go out looking for shapes, patterns, or color combinations that seems appealing. I saw a ridge of rust covered by white paint with a blue background and saw coral mounts not knowing exactly yet where I was going to go with the rest of it. As it took shape later on, I fell in love with how a figure appears to be encapsulated by expanding coral columns. I was thinking about a friend, recently returned from Iraq, while working on the piece that has a thing for Norse mythology and did a little research. Aegir is the Norse God of the Sea.

TAL: Describe your creative process.

BO : I usually start out with a concept in mind, looking for something like: the interplay of colors, how a line overlays a shape, or perhaps an interesting pattern. Sometimes I’ll go out with a drawing on a piece of paper that I’ll use as a guideline. I give myself a few minutes to absorb the environment and shut down the rest of the world. It’s a hunt to find something unique. As a photographer, it’s capture and then create. It’s not exactly the method of a studio artist or the normal process of a photographer either but somewhere in between the two.

TAL: What are you working on currently?

BO : I’m working on rounding out my Spheres portfolio, adding to the Reflections series, developing a clothing line (and some really cute kids’ stuff), and aggressively seeking gallery representation.

TAL: What are your near/long term goals as an artist?

BO : I’d like to bring awareness to the positive aspects of graffiti as an art form and continue to challenge traditional notions about what photography is. Long term, I would ultimately like to own and manage my own gallery and help to nurture and mentor emerging artists.

TAL: Where can people view/purchase your work?

BO : My website, www.byrononeal.com is currently the best way to view and purchase my work. I’m always happy to respond to emails to sfmako@mac.com as well.

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