Join us for a Paint and Sip led by School of Art alumnus Girasol O’Neill on Wednesday, October 15, 5-7:30pm at SUB1 Room 3B.  

Attendees will be given a small canvas to decorate inspired by Belonging and Latin American heritage. At the end, everyone will lay their canvases down to assemble a community tapestry. This will be photographed before attendees leave with their art piece. 

Hosting Partners: CLIE, Mason Exhibitions, LGBTQ Resources, Latino Alumni Chapter 

Girasol O’Neill is a multimedia, teacher, and human rights activist based in the DC Metro area. He graduated from George Mason University in 2022 with a Bachelors of Fine Arts and currently works as an Elementary Arts teacher with Arlington Public Schools. O'Neill's work explores presence, justice, and socio-political themes through fusing symbols and vibrant colors in whimsical, surreal compositions.

Emotional exchange between art and audiences is the core of his practice, something he refers to as “finding the heart” in each experience. He believes that finding the heart leads us to finding justice through connecting with universal human pain, hope, fear, and joy. O’Neill grew up in Northern Virginia hiding his trans identity and immigrant status for fear of retribution. Reconnecting with his Indigenous Bolivian roots has breathed new life into his individual and community art purpose.