John O'Neal
he/him
Stillwater, OK, USA
John O’Neal graduated with a BFA at Oklahoma State University in 2023. As a jeweler, he has worked at the Oklahoma Art Education Association Annual Conference as an assistant. O’Neal is currently anticipating going to graduate school in Fall 2024.
“I am drawn to memes because they have messages and references hidden in them. They become symbols for a group to understand without necessarily using words. I make jewelry to convey the connections between the symbol and the person viewing it. I’m able replicate these connections between people and memes with metal, stones, plastic, and other materials. The layers of plastic that comprise my emoji pins serve as a metaphor for the layers of symbolism contained in each emoji, just like other memes.”
What does being queer mean to you in relation to your material choices? Is it something you consider?
“In relation to being queer, the materials I used reflect tenacity and creativity that queer people have to make something bigger than life. Taking common craft store materials and making something different or greater is something that I believe that the queer community does very well. We aren't always given the best of circumstances as a community, but we always rise above. We make our spirits bigger and our voices louder. That is one reason why I gravitate to using materials that are common or easily available. It becomes a challenge for me to take what I get and make it better than what it was before I got it."
"Carmen", Acrylic, fabric, glass beads, paper leaves, brass, 5.5" x 3.5", 2023Is the work queer because the maker is queer, or is it queer because the subject matter is queer?
“Being a queer artist doesn't necessarily mean the work itself is queer. However, as queer people we find our own paths and interests just like anybody else. We gravitate to people who live freely as themselves. Unencumbered by stigma or leering eyes. Icons like Carmen Miranda, as this emoji brooch is based off of, is one such icon to me. Someone who was colorful and full of life. Something that not every queer person gets to experience for a lot of time. So a character like Carmen is someone we deem part of the community without necessarily being queer. An ally that we sort of see a version that we once wished we were a little bit more like in some way."
