8 minute read
Meghan O'Neill
Living a Bright, Bold and Beautiful Life
by Sheila Turner-Hilliard
Photo by Crissy Everhart Photography www.CrissyEverhart.com
We would like to thank DANJOLELL Memorial Homes for sponsoring this month’s Resident Feature.
Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors is proud to introduce Meghan O’Neill: A local artist whose colorful and creative path has led her home to Newtown Square.
Meghan (pronounced Mee-gan) grew up in Newtown Square with her parents and her younger sister, Shannon. She attended grade school at St. John Newman and graduated high school from The Academy of Notre Dame, where she played field hockey and lacrosse.
Meghan said she especially loved trick-or-treating when her mother would hand out candy apples, and waving to Santa Claus as he rode down their street on the fire truck at Christmastime. Meghan’s father still lives in her childhood home, where Meghan and her sister often meet up with the friends that they grew up with. “Our friend Holly who lived next door, ended up buying her mom’s house, and now she hosts neighborhood reunion parties,” she said. “It was just such a special place to grow up, and I am happy that my childhood friends are still my family.”
After high school, Meghan went to Fairfield University, where she studied English and studied abroad in Paris, France. After graduation, Meghan began working as a marketing professional for a consulting firm and a law firm in New York. They were positions that allowed her to travel and connect with professionals around the world. Meghan’s desire to explore led her to land a position with SOCOG (Sydney Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games).
Meghan said she has always been passionate about traveling but also shared that she’s equally passionate about art. “I have loved art since winning a coloring contest when I was eight years old,” Meghan recalled. “The Newtown Square Fire Company sponsored the contest, and the winner got to ride around town on one of their fire trucks. It was such a memorable moment for me.”
Meghan O’Neill welcomes you to her studio
Photo courtesy of Meghan O’Neill
A self-described free spirit and lifelong learner, Meghan graduated with honors in Photography from The Art Institute of Philadelphia in 2011. She then studied under critically acclaimed artists Kelly Rae Roberts and Isaiah Zagar. “I have always had a hand in something creative, whether painting bisque at pottery studios in New York City or falling in love with photography while living in Australia,” Meghan explained.
Meghan is a true believer in the notion that each one of us is inherently creative. “I think art should be fun and make you feel good,” she said. “That is why I unapologetically work in different mediums on different days.” Meghan’s portfolio of artwork includes pieces made using alcohol ink, acrylic paints, encaustic wax and beautiful scraps of paper. Her work varies, from vivid and exuberant, to soft and contemplative, to whimsical and playful.
Over the years, Meghan has shown and sold her pieces at local art shows and charity events. “I enjoy sharing my work with others and have been able to use my art as a way to raise money for ‘Love Orphanage’ in Haiti,” she said.
Meghan has traveled to Haiti four times and actively fundraises for them. “Unfortunately, Haiti is not a safe place to travel to right now, and I miss the kids so much.” In 2017 and 2019, Meghan gathered other local artists who were willing to donate some of their work and held “Art for Love” fundraising events at Teca Newtown Square. “Between those two events, we raised over $45,000 for the orphanage’s culture camp program where kids are introduced to art and other creative outlets.”
Meghan’s art full of vibrant colors
Photo by Crissy Everhart Photography www.CrissyEverhart.com
Making a difference in others’ lives is very important to Meghan. It’s a lesson she learned from her parents. “My mother grew up in a family who built homes in this area,” she explained. “She understood what it was like to be a local business owner. So, every time a new local business opened, my mom would head right over to offer her best wishes and always made it a point to shop there regularly.” Unfortunately, her mother passed away in 2008, but the lessons she taught Meghan and her sister will last a lifetime.
Meghan and her sister, Shannon shared a very special bond with both of their parents. “One of my mom’s favorite things to tell people was that Shannon and I share the same birthday,” Megan laughed. “It wasn’t supposed to be that way because Shannon was born six weeks early!” Even more incredible is that even though Meghan and Shannon are three years apart, they are often mistaken for identical twins!
Meghan said that she lived in Philadelphia full-time until 2020, when the pandemic began. Shannon was living in a townhome in Newtown Square with her daughter, Olivia, and Meghan’s father was in his home in Newtown Square. The separation caused by the pandemic was challenging, so she decided to spend the majority of time with her family in the suburbs. So Meghan decided to move in with Shannon, Olivia and their loveable pup, Murphy.
At the time, Shannon was actively looking for a single-family home in Newtown Square. “My sister always wanted to raise her daughter in Newtown Square in a neighborhood like we grew up in,” Meghan explained. Shannon learned that one was about to hit the market in the Echo Valley neighborhood and immediately made an offer.
Meghan said that a favorite fall tradition that continues today is spending time around the firepit and watching Notre Dame football games. “Dad graduated in 1967 and is a huge fan.”
Meghan and Murphy enjoying time at Okehocking Preserve
Photo by Crissy Everhart Photography www.CrissyEverhart.com
To Shannon’s daughter, Olivia, affectionately calls Meghan Bee, and they do just about everything together. From taking Olivia to dance class or to the dentist, Bee is by her side. In fact, a recent trip to the dentist is the reason why Meghan is about to embark on a new journey right here in Newtown Square. “I am a very spiritual person and have a strong desire to share my love of art and help bring creative expression through people who say they’re not creative,” she explained.
That was until Olivia showed her the way. “We were walking into the dentist’s office, but before we got to the door, Olivia darted up the steps to the second floor of the building,” Meghan said. “I followed her up to see she had opened the door to a beautiful, bright and inviting space that just so happened to be empty.” Meghan said she took one look and knew it was exactly what she was searching for. She contacted the owner and signed the lease.
Over the last few months, Meghan has transformed the space into her art studio, which is filled with an abundance of natural light and every art supply you could possibly imagine. “It’s absolutely perfect,” Meghan said. “I am so excited to fulfill my dream of having a space right here in Newtown Square that will help others learn, create and feel comfortable with expressing themselves.” Her studio, Meghan O’Neill Studios (www.MeghanONeill.com), located on Smedley Ln, will open this month and will offer workshops and house a gallery of Meghan’s original artwork, prints, greeting cards and gifts.
Meghan, thank you for sharing your story with our Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors. We wish you all the best as you embark on this bright, bold and whimsical new journey right here in your hometown!
Do you know a Newtown Square family, individual or nonprofit group who should become known by our community? Make your nominations for upcoming feature articles by emailing your ideas to Sheila Turner-Hilliard at STurnerHilliard@BestVersionMedia.com.
