Artist Statement-Katie O’Neill

For my concentration I decided to express line, shape, and color presented abstractly. Each piece has a simple concept so as to not take away from the focus. As a normally more technical artist I wanted to use this concentration as an opportunity to explore different medias and techniques.  I focused on the depth and quality of the lines and shapes produced in my pieces, struggling to let go of my tendencies as an artist in the mean time. I was hoping to show the importance of texture and layering and after months of hard work, I believe I have accomplished that goal. I like to have a sense of playfulness in each piece. To begin I looked at landscapes as a place for inspiration. It seemed that everyday surroundings had the best natural uses of line, shape, and color. Throughout this body of work I really struggled to create strong fore, middle, and back grounds. As my pieces continued my work became loose and free, consequently they also began to be more monochromatic. I wanted to start with canvas and acrylic for every piece and then incorporate different medias and techniques. Throughout this experience I have found that I really like to mix and match styles and switching mediums.