Justin O’Neal is a freelance artist, illustrator and writer. With a striking and mysterious presence, the unconventional women seen in his work seem to hold an inexplicably powerful allure. Beauties shrouded in truly remote or mystical dispositions especially fascinate, command, and even drive obsession. It is in this vein that Justin O’Neal’s paintings and illustrations access women in his intense yet light-hearted, poignant yet often fantastical portraits. Each grounded in a uniquely quirky role, his subjects are classically beautiful women in charmingly eccentric conventions. The character-rich subjects fuel the imagination with the portrayal of esoteric adventure, mystery, storytelling, power, enigmatic identities, and a little bit of humor.
The portraits prevalently feature sharp facial structures, much like those of many modern fashion models, and communicate in this same tone, a vague expression of irritation or focused determination. So, while these compositions are stylistically playful, you won’t find a platform for insipid cheekiness here.
The composition of Justin O’Neal’s work varies quite widely from piece to piece, especially for being of predominantly consistent subject matter. His discretion concerning hue and saturation is stylistically very effective. Works are left bold yet unobtrusive, as pieces containing a vast diversity of color are often slightly desaturated while pieces containing little or no diversity in color are bold and highly saturated. This keeps the tone and mood throughout the overall body of work nicely correspondent.
These pieces are loveable, eccentric and enigmatic. They leave the viewer wanting to know more about the character, beauty, and power of the subject, and conjure endless possibilities in the imagination. They appeal aesthetically on several different scales, featuring gorgeous women, beautiful color, bold black, and an accessible style.
