Draft:May O'Neill
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May O'Neill | |
|---|---|
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| Born | 20 July 1931 |
| Movement | Realist/traditional watercolour |
May O'Neill (née Courtney; born 20 July 1931) is an Australian artist, known for her work in watercolour and her significant role in establishing and nurturing regional and community-based arts societies in Western Australia.[1]
Early life and background
[edit]May Courtney was born in Salford, Greater Manchester, United Kingdom. Her father, John Joseph Courtney, worked for the British and Continental Steamship Company and was reportedly multilingual. Her mother left when she was eight, and she was raised by her father. During World War II, she spent her childhood in Old Trafford, at times playing among bomb craters — experiences that later influenced her appreciation for old buildings. She left school at age 14 to work in administration.[2]
She married in 1952, and in 1963 she emigrated with her husband Roland and two children to Western Australia.[citation needed]
Career
[edit]May O’Neill began painting in 1973 after a severe car accident left her bedridden for eight weeks. As she recovered and was unable to continue prior sporting interests, she turned to art, in which was largely self-taught and began working primarily in watercolours.[1] She cites Hungarian watercolourist Zoltán Szabó as a major influence. [2]
Her painting often reflects an interest in architecture and older buildings — possibly rooted in her wartime childhood memories of bomb-scarred urban landscapes. [3]
Community involvement and contributions
[edit]O’Neill was foundation member (and at times president) of multiple art societies: the Whitford Wanneroo Joondalup Arts Society — one of the largest art societies in WA — as well as the Watercolour Society of Western Australia, the Carnarvon Art Society, and was involved with others including the Pastel Society and the broader Art Society of Western Australia.[citation needed]
She lived and worked in regional locations including Carnarvon and Shark Bay for about 13 years, setting up and supporting arts groups in those remote and regional communities.[citation needed]
Through this work, O’Neill contributed substantially to community art infrastructure, especially for women and regional artists in Western Australia, making art more accessible beyond the major urban centres.
Style and medium
[edit]O’Neill primarily worked in watercolour, though associated with pastel and similar media through her broader art-society involvement.[citation needed]
Her subjects often include architectural and landscape themes — particularly older buildings and urban/regional settings — resonating with her upbringing and early memories of wartime England. [3]
Recognition and works
[edit]O’Neill has won the watercolour award of the Whitford Art Group on at least three occasions.[1]
Her work has also been recognised by the City of Wanneroo, the City of Mandurah, and the Rockingham Arts Council.[citation needed]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c Bogle, Michael (30 March 2022). "May O'Neill". Design & Art Australia Online. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
- ^ a b "Trove". trove.nla.gov.au. Retrieved 8 December 2025.
- ^ a b "Streetscapes/Houses". Fairview Historic Home. 19 July 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2025.