ABOUT

ABOUT THE ARTIST…

Born in Paris, the art capital of Europe, where the romantic idea of bohemian artistic lifestyle is inextricably bound with the way of life, descended from a grandfather that was a glassblower, a grand mother lace maker and a father photographer, she inherited the love of working with her hands to create beautiful things.

As she grew up, all she was longing was to express herself as an artist. But the need for an immediate income pushed her into the corporate world where she started a career in Computer Technology.

In 1998, she left France to move to the United States and married to her American fiancé. At the time, she took a leap of faith and had no idea that she was also on her path to realize her childhood dream.

Shortly after settling down in Phoenix, Arizona, O’Neill stumbled upon a store who was proposing classes in stained glass. From the paperweights made by her grandfather to the windows of Notre Dame de Paris and the Sainte Chapelle, she always loved glass. Therefore, she thought it would be fun to learn.What started as a new hobby very soon became much more. After exploring several aspects of glass working, she found herself passionate with the kiln-formed glass process.

Suddenly, it all came back to her, the old thought of becoming an artist started to come back at the surface. At the same time, O’Neill also realized that the true meaning of the saying “America, land of opportunity” is that there is no excuse for not achieving your dreams.Starting a new life in a new country, speak a new language and integrate into a new culture made her aware of her potential to achieve anything she wants. Not only was she going to be an artist, but she was going to be a professional glass artist.

With the determination of a true Taurus, O’Neill is not afraid to work hard to improve herself. Although they are gratifying in other ways, awards and recognition are not the motivations that drive her. It is the need to find her voice and to let it heard to all who will listen through their eyes.

Patricia Christine O’Neill has made her childhood dream come true. She is living the life she always wanted and she enjoys every second of it. To own her glass work is to own a part of her passion for life and her exceptional drive to be the best she can be. Each and every time she opens the lid of her kiln, she knows that this work is her calling in life.

ABOUT THE PROCESS…

There are many ways to work art glass. At O’Neill Glass Art, we are using a process called kiln-formed glass which consists of fusing and forming glass in an electric kiln at temperatures ranging between 1100 and 1700 degrees Fahrenheit.
At the opposite of glass blowing, kiln-formed glass is not a spectacular process. There is not much to see… as all the magic of transformation happens under a closed lid. However, this is the most creative and technically challenged type of glass work today.

Each piece starts with large sheets of glass hand made in USA. The fabrication of the glass itself is a very technical process, where various chemicals are mixed with silica. This mix is heated in a furnace, then ladled onto a table to be flatten into large sheets. All is done by hand and, although each sheet is quality controlled before leaving the factory, there will be slight imperfections that are part of the beauty of this process.

The work is prepared at room temperature then placed into the kiln.
Several firings, of about twelve hours each, are required to achieve the final form of the piece.
At each firing, time and temperature variations are crucial elements that must be controlled very precisely so that the desired effect is obtained. O’Neill relies only on her experience and on the notes that she has taken from previous experiments. Few degrees, few minutes can make a difference.
The heating and cooling phases are very important because this is when the glass can break and that several days of work can be ruined in a blink. This is why the firings are so long… patience is the virtue of the kiln worker.

To create the imagery on her pieces, O’Neill uses techniques such as silk-screening, photo-resist, airbrushing and sandblasting. The design is made by hand, scanned into a computer and printed onto a film. Through a photographic process in a dark room, the film is used to create the screen or the photo-resist mask.
The image itself is made of glass enamel or mica powder bonded to the glass using heat.

STATEMENT…

“From as far as I remember, I have had a strong attraction for the metaphysical world as well as lost and ancient civilizations. I practice Tai Chi, collect quartz crystals and study Feng Shui as a hobby. Everything related to energy flow, healing, balance and harmony is a great source of inspiration for me.
I would describe my work as a combination of elements of nature, anthropology, archeology, symbolism and spirituality.
I firmly believe that having a beautiful and harmonious home makes us happier and I cater to people who enjoy surrounding themselves with beautiful objects with a soul.”

Patricia C. O’Neill
O’Neill Glass Art Owner/Designer

© 2009 – O’Neill Glass Art and Patricia C. O’Neill. Photo credit Lynne Carlton/2C Imagery.