Chris O’Neal: “I love connecting with youth right here in Midtown Kingston!”

Chris O’Neal was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, studied at Pratt Institute, and lives and works in Kingston. He works in a range of media, from drawing and painting to poster and website design, and previously ran an afterschool program at Kingston High School. Alongside his passion for the arts and work in website design/development, Chris coordinated an after-school program for 4-H and Cornell Cooperative Extension.

We are delighted to announce Chris is teaching “Visual Storytelling: The Art of the Comic Book” at The D.R.A.W.

“I love connecting with youth right here in Midtown Kingston,” says Chris. “Seeing how Lara and The D.R.A.W. are able to do so much for the community on their own is super inspiring. You don’t need someone to do it for you!”

Referencing the iconic Radio Raheem from Spike Lee’s film Do The Right Thing, Chris has created a limited run of screenprints signed by the artist in honor of the racial justice activism of 2020. These two-color 8″ x 8” silkscreen prints of green and gold are printed on a variety of color papers that are approximately 11” x 14”.

For a donation of $25 to support The D.R.A.W.’s educational and leadership programming, you will receive a surprise variation of Chris’ limited-edition print on neutral, fluorescent or swirled papers. Purchase your “Love/Hate” limited-edition print at The D.R.A.W. Store.

When did you first know you were an artist?
Am I an artist? I still wonder about that sometimes. Ha!

What are the favorite medium(s) you use to make your art?
I had been working with brush and ink for a while now. Recently I’ve started getting back into acrylic paints.

What are the most interesting new trends in your field? Is your work changing as a result?
Wow, let’s see… Pop culture seems to be eating itself at an ever-increasing rate. Memes appear, spawn endless variations, and die within hours. Maybe it’s just me getting older but symbols seem to change meaning more frequently now. This either makes me think about what I’m drawing much more, or not at all :)

Tell us a little about your creative process – where/when do you get most of your ideas and how do you know a piece is ‘finished’?
I seem to get my “best” ideas when I’m distracted and doing something else. Driving, washing dishes, walking the dog, and so on. If they survive in my head until I’m done with whatever I was doing and write them down, it’s a good sign. That or I’ll just start with whatever is in front of me at the moment.

A piece is finished when I feel that doing anything more would run too much of a risk of messing it up. Since I scan most of my illustration work, then finish it digitally, I’ll often go the extra step or two just in case to try something new. Then when I muck it all up, I can always use the earlier scanned version.

Do you also teach or are you strictly a creative artist? Who was your most influential mentor and why?
When Lara straight up asked me to teach at The D.R.A.W. I couldn’t say no.

After thinking about it for a while it seemed to me that I could do the most good by trying to help the youth who need it most in our community. In my own life, a little positive encouragement from creative adults went a long way to getting me where I am today. I was fortunate to have some great art teachers in my high school and at college.

What are you teaching now? Do you teach at other places besides at The D.R.A.W. workshops?
I’m currently teaching “Visual Storytelling: The Art of the Comic Book” at The D.R.A.W. Before that I was running an afterschool program at Kingston High School. Unfortunately, due to the dysfunctions of the funding source, that’s been put on hold for now.

How has teaching enhanced/inspired your work as an artist? What do you like best about being involved with The D.R.A.W.?
I love connecting with youth right here in midtown Kingston! Seeing how Lara and The D.R.A.W. are able to do so much for the community on their own is super inspiring. You don’t need someone to do it for you.

Talk about your teaching philosophy and how you work with students. Who was your most influential mentor and why?
My goal is for students to feel safe and comfortable expressing themselves. I hope to expose them to new ideas and experiences but give them the autonomy to make their own decisions. I encourage hard work, experimentation and perseverance. Dr. Dweck’s research into the growth mindset has been incredibly influential on my approach to working with youth. If you’re not familiar with her work this short video is a great starting point.

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Do you show/sell your art in galleries?
When I get the opportunity :)

How has being in Kingston inspired, enhanced, or changed your work? If you live or work in the Midtown Arts District, what do you like best about it? How long have you lived in Kingston or the Hudson Valley?
We moved to the Hudson Valley from NYC about six years ago. I love living in Midtown Kingston! There is a great sense of community and possibility here. I love the history of the area and so many of the cool local businesses. I really hope they can survive this pandemic.

What are you working on now? Anything coming up you’d like to tell our readers about?

I’m trying to stay motivated as this pandemic drags on. I’ve started a few pieces and would love to get a new series or two going but it’s been challenging to stay inspired. I have been talking to World’s End Comics in Midtown about working together on some cool projects!

I’d love to hear more about how other artists are staying inspired and creating art during this pandemic. Please contact me through my website.
Thank you!