WHO IS MARTIN O’NEILL?
Martin O’Neill was born in London. The Graphic illustrator Artist creates collages for a wide range of International clients through publishing, advertising, design, and installation work.
He has worked as an illustrator and artist for two decades and regularly exhibits his personal collages, sketchbooks, and prints. He is also a visiting lecturer across the UK. Martin lives and works on England’s South East coast with his wife and two daughters.
His international clients encompass advertising, design, editorial, publishing, as well as regular contributions to the UK and US press including Sony Playstation, Faber Faber, Capital One, EMI Music, Wired USA, Camel & GQ India.
CUT IT OUT STUDIO
Martin’s work evolves from a fusion of collage, silkscreen, paint, photocopies, and digital techniques. He works from a vast archive of found and self-generated material and also works with stock and supplied imagery.
Years of experimentation have resulted in a unique style and brand image.
Martin works from his studio, Cut it Out, a space he owns since 2003 together with his creative partner Jackiem Parsons. They moved from London’s Kentish Town to St Leonard’s on Sea some 60k south of the capital and set up a Studio on the coast.
GRAHAM RAWLE ON MARTIN O’NEILL
Graham Rawle is a writer, artist, and designer. He has produced regular series which include ‘Lying Doggo’ and ‘Graham Rawle’s Wonder Quiz’ for The Observer and ‘When Words Collide’ and ‘Pardon Mrs. Arden’ for The Sunday Telegraph Magazine and ‘Bright Ideas’ for The Times. He is a Visiting Professor in Illustration at the Norwich University of the Arts where in 2012 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate for services to design. He lives in London.
To this extent, these of the recent words of Graham Rowle on Martin O’Neill.
“As an avid scavenger of ephemera, Martin O’Neill’s glorious compositions begin long before he assembles them as images. He seems to carry these found treasures in his head while the stowed physical pieces lie dormant in an erratic filing system of studio file drawers (…) until the right moment comes along.”
“Because he sees the inherent value in every tiny piece, he develops a unique relationship with his archive. This makes all the difference when he brings everything together in an image because we feel what he feels; his passion is infectious. “
And he will continue. “Working intuitively allows him to spot potential combinations, recognizing and then capitalizing on serendipity and the element of chance. While the final choices are informed by assiduously honed design skills.
“He has an enviable sense of composition, balancing shape, color, line, texture, and type with a precision that makes it all seem effortless. You have to have a really good eye to do all that. And Martin O’Neill has the best. He is a true master of collage.” – Graham Rawle. June 2019
Martin’s capability relies on being an international contemporary illustrator by keeping his old school technique his strong point of recognition.
Get inspired by his fascinating style and visual strength. Check out his work here.
