About the Artist
Sculptor Brendan T. O’Neill works in bronze depicting American historical figures. His first bust of Harriet Tubman was displayed in the governor’s residence in Annapolis, MD. “Harriet Tubman is one of the most inspiring Marylanders and greatest Americans we have ever known, and I’m grateful for Brendan O’Neill Sr. donating his talents to share her history with generations to come,” then Governor O’Malley said. “In commemorating the life of Harriet Tubman, we’re ensuring that the healing light of those who shine against the darkness of human frailty will never dim.” Brendan replied, “I am honored to have been involved in this project to pay tribute with my sculpture to such an iconic figure in Maryland and American History. I wanted to portray Harriet as a young woman in her 30’s as she might have looked at the time of the Underground Railroad and to create an image of a powerful yet simple young woman, humble yet watchful, and strong in leading her people.”
Brendan O’Neill has also done a series of Native American Chieftains from the mid 19th century, and a commemorative sculpture for the Choctaw Cultural Center in Durant Oklahoma with a copy located at The Irish National Famine Museum in Strokestown, Ireland.
He has also displayed bronze sculptures at Indiana University Law School, Gonzaga High School and Visitation High School in Wash DC, and Mt. Zion Pentecostal Church, Don Bosco High School, and Mary of Nazareth School in Maryland.A graduate of Georgetown University, Brendan has been sculpting in bronze for over 40 years. He studied at the Corcoran Gallery of Art School and took masters workshops with portrait and figure sculptors Eugene Daub, Paul Lucchesi, and Rick Casali; and was fortunate enough to have been mentored and greatly influenced by world-class sculptor Walter Matia.
BRENDAN THORPE O’NEILL
- Georgetown University, Washington, DC (BA Economics)
- Corcoran Gallery of Art, Washington, DC
- Sculpture Studies include:
- Nancy Frankel Studios- Kensington, MD
- Masters Workshop (Eugene Daub), Loveland Academy of Fine Arts, Loveland, CO
- Masters Workshop (Eugene Daub), Academy Art Center, West Palm Beach, FL
- Masters Workshop (Paul Lucchesi), The Art League School, Alexandria, VA
- Masters Workshop (Eugene Daub), Scottsdale Artist’s School, Scottsdale, AZ
- Portrait class (Rick Casali), Annapolis, MD
- Masters Figure Workshop (Rick Casali), Davidsonville, MD
- Sculpture Now, 2005; Washington Sculptors Group (juried show), Washington Square- Washington, DC
- Sulgrave Author’s and Artists Gala, 2005- Washington, DC
- Sculpture Atrium at The Corporate Office Centre at Tysons II, 2005- Fairfax County, VA
- CAREER – SCULPTOR
- Bronze sculptor since 1980
- Bronze sculpture is on permanent display at:
- Bust of Chief Dull Knife displayed at Chief Dull Knife College, Lame Deer, MT on Northern Cheyenne Reservation
- Bust of Chief Sitting Bull displayed at the Chief Sitting Bull College, Fort Yates, ND on Standing Rock Reservation
- Bust of young woman commissioned for the dedication of the Katie Fitzgerald Memorial Gymnasium, Darnestown, MD
- Bronze life size wolf head displayed in lobby of Don Bosco High School (home of the Wolf Pack), Silver Spring, MD
- Bust of Bishop Chester Friend to commemorate his 40th Anniversary as pastor and founder of the Mt. Zion Pentecostal Church, Bethlehem, MD
- 40” x 72” bronze bas relief celebrating the “Student Athlete” displayed in the gymnasium lobby at Gonzaga College High School, Washington, DC
- Bust of Harriet Tubman, commissioned by Governor O’Malley; accepted into the Maryland State Archives; and displayed at the State of Maryland Government House, Annapolis, MD.
- Maquette of Harriet Tubman displayed in lobby of Harriet Tubman Women’s Shelter, Wash DC
- Bust of major donor displayed in lobby of Indiana University Law School, Bloomington, IN
- Bust of Harriet Tubman displayed in lobby of Harriet Tubman Visitors Center in the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad National Historical Park, Dorchester County outside of Cambridge, MD
- Bust of Sister Mary Berchmans displayed in Foyer of Berchmans Hall, Georgetown Visitation Girls High School, Washington, DC
- Life size bronze of two Choctaw Native Americans in commemoration of Choctaw 1847 gift to Irish displayed in Choctaw Cultural Center in Durant, Oklahoma
- Bronze copy of Chocktaw sculpture displayed at the Irish National Famine Museum, Strokestown, Ireland.
- Stone sculpture of “Eagle Rising” at Monocacy Cemetery in Beallsville, MD to commemorate fallen soldiers buried at the cemetery
- Born St. Louis, MO
- Raised in Washington Metropolitan area
- Married with 4 children and 10 grandchildren
- Served on multiple Boards including the Board of Trustees of the Academy Art Museum, Easton, MD.
- Spent alternate careers in:
- Urban Renewal in Alexandria VA and Washington DC
- Mortgage Banking in Washington DC
- Design and building in Washington Metropolitan area.
- Represented by Troika Fine Art Gallery in Easton, MD