John P. O'Neill, Ph.D.
220 Pecan Dr.
St. Gabriel, LA 70776

PARDUSCO@AOL.Com

Born 1942, Houston, Texas. Began painting at age 5. Ph.D. in Zoology from Louisiana State University, 1974. Served as Director of LSU Museum of Natural Science 1978-82, but wanted to spend more time doing research and painting, so stepped down in '82 to become Staff Research Associate. Has studied Peruvian birds for more than 40 years with major expeditions into many of the country's most remote and biologically unknown areas. Presently preparing a major book on the birds of Peru with colleagues. Now paints full time, with fieldwork in Peru and in US at every opportunity! Married to Leticia A. Alamia who raises and trains German Shepherds and Papillons.

Realism, but not necessarily photo-realism

All water-based media, but mainly Acrylic

In general I prefer to paint passerines more than non-passerines, but only in the most generalized sense. I have painted birds representing most orders.

Yes, since I do scientific research in South America I tend to paint more Neotropical birds, but I also paint lots of North American birds; in general I do not paint many Asian or African species.

Approximately 100 books, magazines, scientific journals, and other published items have anywhere from a single painting to 50 paintings. Some of the more importance ones include:

1999. Winckler, Suzanne (ed). JOHN O'NEILL-GREAT TEXAS BIRDS, University of Texas Press, Austin, Texas. (50 color portraits of Texas birds)

1997. Stap, Don. 'Finding the Missing Pieces', AUDUBON, March-April. (Capito sp. nov., color study)

1993. SCIENCE, cover. (color painting of Archaeopteryx lithographica)

1992. Norelli, M. R., and J. M. Weinke. NATURALLY DRAWN - DRAWINGS FROM THE COALITION. Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum, Wausau, WI, p. 18. (catalog of exhibit by the same name; color reproduction of unfinished field sketch of Cyanocorax mystacalis)

Additonal Bibliography