Donna O. Art

I’m Donna O’Neal, a lifetime creative and yarn painter raised in Newark, New Jersey with equal rooting in the DMV area. My upbringing was rich in Black culture and art history; a unique multifaceted existence that surely shaped the way I see the world and my place in it.

I hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Morgan State University, and have always leaned into artistic inclination over the years no matter what environment I found myself in. From corporate America to my own business pursuits, my eye for design and understanding of the importance of visual communication always found its way in. The artist cannot be denied art.

Now, as a full-time artist, my practice is about personal and collective legacy, the birthright that is expression and joy and the burden I feel to make a statement about the perception Black women's identity. Beyond the literal need in me to create, there is an ever growing rebel within that's saying "you'll hear what I have to say". 

My yarn and acrylic paintings are inspired by the faces of Ancestors never seen and the beautiful Black women I share space with every day. Direct stares, full lips and deep skin tones unapologetically emphasize and invite acknowledgement of the power that Black women carry every day. My preferred medium, yarn, add an even more striking visual nod to how those same women carry it all with a complex warmth and softness, that society pretends not to see.

When engaged with my work, I want the viewer to feel seen, connected, enamored and challenged to reconsider their experiences with Black women. Consider the load, consider the humanity, consider the beauty and consider handling with care.