Mary Lovelace O’Neal (b. 1942, Jackson, MS), is known for her paintings that pair bold, monumental scale with layers of unexpected materials to explore deeply personal narratives and mythologies as well as broader themes of racism and social justice and contemporary critical debates. With roots in both Minimalist and Expressionist painting, her imagery has, over years and series, fluctuated between pure abstraction, narrative figuration, and the evocative spaces in between.

Lovelace O’Neal is one of the greatest living American painters, celebrated for her powerful compositions that employ vibrant hues and a generous and masterful application of paint. Known for both painting and printmaking, her works have progressed through different phases over her long career, beginning with the more minimalist forms of the 70’s and evolving into precise and abstract patterns.