Cj O’Neill
Maker | Educator | Researcher | Facilitator
I am a researcher/maker/educator and Senior Lecturer at Manchester School of Art on BA(Hons) Product Design & Craft (previously BA(Hons) Three Dimensional Design). Central to my practice is my interest in people and objects, storytelling and complexity. Working with a wide range of people, I am fascinated by the connections we can build to others through our interaction with objects, the impact that others have on the formation of our selves and our acknowledgement of this.
My PhD thesis (2018) My, Your, Our Stories: a processual investigation of artistic interventions with everyday ceramics, explored authorship, value and collaboration through the use of everyday ceramic objects in combination with narrative utilising both hand and industrial processes. How ceramic objects can connect people and enable them to construct their own narrative.
I have undertaken numerous commissions for ceramic lighting and tableware for private individuals and corporate clients as well as exhibiting internationally. Within education, I enjoy working across disciplines, at a range of levels and have a particular interest in professional practice, giving talks on creative business development, as well as contributing to start-up schemes such as Making It, Northern Ireland; Project Network, ICRC, Denmark and Hothouse, Crafts Council, UK.
