Heather O'Neil is a realism artist specializing in portraits. She clearly portrays the unique likeness of her subject through the use of soft pastels.

Art has always been a subject of interest to O'Neil. She began her study of art and photography in her teenage years. After graduating, she assisted a free-lance photographer. Influenced by this experience, large-scale, monochromatic pastels based on photographs have proved the perfect combination of her interests.

Over the years, she spent time in Africa, South America, Central America, and Europe with a camera in hand. She is now basing her artwork on the collection of images she captured.

After living several months in the Democratic Republic of Congo, O’Neil was deeply affected by the desperate conditions there. Moved by the expression on the faces of people she would encounter, O’Neil effectively portrays the emotion of her experience in her series entitled “Face of Congo”.