Billyo O’Donnell thrives on his passion for creating paintings en plein air that mark the exact point in time at which his inspiration happens. He thinks of his paintings as a diary of his artwork telling a story of himself at that moment. When he paints, it reminds him of how he must react spontaneously to inspiration in life or chance losing that significant experience. And, it is his easy nature in his style of living, synchronizing with the ease he feels when creating his works of art, that make those moments unique.

When asked about the greatest pleasure in his profession, Billyo answered, “It’s the experience of painting outside. The snow, strong wind, cold, muggy heat, mosquitoes, they all remind me of life and how we must stay focused and keep pushing on. As I think about masses, color, relationships, the harmony of the piece, value, strokes and textures and combine them with the energy of the land and the environment around me, it transcends the quality of staying focused and persevering in life.”

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Biography

Billyo O’Donnell

Billyo O’Donnell thrives on his passion for creating paintings en plein air that mark the exact point in time at which his inspiration happens. He thinks of his paintings as a diary of his artwork telling a story of himself at that moment. When he paints, it reminds him of how he must react spontaneously to inspiration in life or chance losing that significant experience. And, it is his easy nature in his style of living, synchronizing with the ease he feels when creating his works of art, that make those moments unique.

Perseverance and nature have always been a part of Billyo’s life. His perseverance has led him to become one of the top plein air painters in the country leaving his mark and personality on each work he creates. Perhaps the natural part of him began in his early days when he grew up west of St. Louis in an area where the prairie transforms into hills as it approaches the Missouri River. He explored the country then, as a child, making the connection with nature that has continued on to today and into his landscape paintings.

The recipient of many awards in painting, Billyo’s work has been shown at selected exhibitions throughout the United States and is currently exhibited at Kodner Gallery in St. Louis, Missouri, Helena Fox Fine Art in Charleston, South Carolina, The Arts Company in Nashville, Tennessee and Mike Carroll Gallery in Lanai, Hawaii.

Exhibitions

2014 – Group Exhibition “The Color of Light”, Helena Fox Fine Art, Charleston, SC
2012 – Group Exhibition, “A Sense of Place”, Helena Fox Fine Art, Charleston, SC 2006-2012 – Maui Plein Air Painting Invitational, Maui, HI
2008 – Group Show – Stock Farm Show, Hamilton, MT
2006-2007 – One Man Exhibition, Mike Carroll Gallery, Lanai, HI
2006-2007 – Group Exhibition, Helena Fox Fine Art, Charleston, SC
2006 – Irvine Heritage Invitational, Joan Irvine Ranch, CA
1999-2006 – LPAPA and Laguna Art Museum CA, one of 50 of America’s top Plein Air Painters’ Invitational
2003-2004 – Haggin Museum in CA Exhibit “Sea to Shining Sea”
2001- Kodner Gallery, St. Louis, MO, One-man show
1997, 1999, and 2000 – Oil Painters of America National Exhibit
1989-1991 – Society of Illustrators New York, NY, Society of Illustrators Los Angeles, CA. 1997-1998 Northern Colorado Artists’ Association National Exhibit
1998 – Arts for the Parks, Top 200, Jackson Hole, Wyoming
1996-2000 – California Art Club Outdoor Painting Festival, San Juan Capistrano Mission 1996, 1998-2000 – National Oil and Acrylic Painters’ Society, Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri Artwork in many corporate collections

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