Clare O’Neill

I'm Clare O'Neill. I’m a photographer and artist and I help artists all over the world turn their photographs into one-of-a-kind images that they love.

I was fascinated with encaustic the first time I saw an encaustic painting and immediately wanted to incorporate my photographs with this ancient wax-based medium. I knew nothing of the medium, the process, or if it would work with photographs. I just knew I had to give it a try. 

I experimented with mounting images to my substrate, printing on tissue paper and photo transfers. I found the magic of the tissue paper process gives me the most depth, texture and visual interest.     

My work is created by making slowly building up the surface with multiple layers—using bold brush strokes and playful drips to create backgrounds full of gesture, spontaneity, and motion. My work is large, so the photographs are printed on tissue paper in multiple pieces, and then carefully embedded into the layers of hot beeswax. 

I’ve spent the last 10 years teaching photo encaustic (both online and in-person), showing and selling my work. 

I believe wholeheartedly that learning artistic techniques is like learning to drive a manual transmission car. You need to master the nuance of using a clutch and shifting and this no doubt takes some practice. But once it becomes second nature, getting on the open road is what is exciting, reinvigorating, and magical. 

I’m most proud of teaching my students to go beyond the techniques, to hone their vision, make meaningful images, find their own artistic voice, and understand ‘why’ they are creating the work they create.

Website: clareoneill.com / yourartisticvoice.com / PhotoEncaustic.com

Facebook: facebook.com/ClareONeillPhotography

Instagram: @clare_oneill_artist

Classes with Clare O’Neill

In Her Studio, intimate portrait paint along

For my longer presentation as I walk through my creative process of working with models and capturing photographs for an intimate portrait. I’ll show you how I manipulate the image, print it on tissue and embed into a piece as I create a painting. You’ll be able to watch as I demonstrate my entire process and approach to painting large format pieces with multiple pieces of tissue paper.

Manipulating Photographs for Photo Encaustic

Photography provides so much visual interest when incorporated with beeswax. In this presentation I’ll talk about ways of thinking differently to photographing and using those images in encaustic. This course will focus on different ways to manipulate your photographs using apps available in your phone.