ARTIST BIO
To truly see someone, you need to feel with them. A fragment of your heart, of your truth, is what inspires me to create. My practice is doing justice to that truth.
Girasol O’Neill is an surreal artist, art teacher, and human rights activist based in the DC Metro area. He graduated from George Mason University in 2022 with a Bachelors of Fine Arts. O’Neill specializes in surreal portraiture, murals, and multimedia community projects. His work is heavily influenced by social and political themes, stemming from his experience of growing up as an undocumented immigrant and closeted LGBT+ identities.
O'Neill currently works as an Elementary Arts teacher with Arlington Public Schools. He spare time facilitating art projects with multicultural and marginalized communities.
CV
Small but mighty
EXHIBITIONS:
2024
Me, Here. Group Exhibit at Studio Pause, Arlington VA
2023
Project Illumination, solo show at Gallery 3700, Arlington VA
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2022
Parenthood as Consumption, Gillespie Gallery, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia.
2021
Sleeping Beauty, Gillespie Gallery, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia.
Resilience Exhibition, virtual exhibit, curated between George Mason University and Northern Virginia Community College, Virginia
2019
ArtFields Competition, Group exhibition at the TRAX Visual Art Center, Lake City South Carolina
2016
Glass Mind, Studio PAUSE, Arlington VA,
ArtFields Competition, Pirates TShirts Plus, Lake City, South Carolina
EXPERIENCE:
Muralist. BusBoys and Poets Restaurant, Arlington, Virginia
March 2021, Designed and painted a permanent 8ft x 3ft mural
Cook and Art Assistant, MusePaintbar, Fairfax, Virginia
May 2019 - March 2020, Assisted the leading artist in preparing for the painting lessons as well as helping individual guests one-on-one with painting, when needed.
Banner designer, Voices of Solidarity, Arlington, Virginia
Spring 2018
Commissioned by the Dream Project of Arlington to design a new banner for their annual spring concert.
Logo designer, “We Are All Arlington”, Arlington, Virginia
July 2016 - September 2016
Designed the official logo for Arlington Virginia’s celebration honoring 40 years of immigrant influence in the county
Freelance Work
Continuous, since 2014
Pet and family portraits in traditional media, along with personalized cakes and other baked goods for events
PROJECTS
2022-2023
Project Illumination, Immigrant community-based project funded by Arlington Commission of the Art’s AWARE Grant.