Ani O’Neill makes objects and installations using South Pacific Island craft skills that have been passed down to her from her Cook Islands grandmother. These techniques include traditional costume for celebration as well as tivaevae (quilt making), embroidery, sewing and crochet, which have been adapted from the colonial teachings of missionary wives by the women of the Cook Islands and the greater Pacific. Her art works are imbued with the rich histories and memory inherent in these techniques. Workshops, classrooms and gallery spaces come alive when this information re-manifests into materials found in today’s world with today’s people.

O’Neill’s art practice over the last 15 years has sought to re-affirm the cultural importance of these handcraft skills to New Zealand and international audiences. Her work has been experienced throughout the Pacific Islands, Australia and the USA, through objects, video, site-specific and interactive installations and workshops as well as performance/installations with the Pacific Sisters collective.

Ani O’Neill graduated in 1994 with a BFA (Sculpture) from Elam School Of Fine Arts/Auckland University. She lives and works fulltime as an artist in both Rarotonga, Cook Islands and Auckland, Aotearoa/New Zealand.

Ani O’Neill is represented in New Zealand by Sue Crockford Gallery, Auckland, NZ.