In 5 Years in the Wild, Kent-based artist Kim O’Neil, a graduate of Central Saint Martins, presents a powerful collection of large-scale biomorphic abstract paintings created through an immersive collaboration with nature. Abandoning the clinical confines of the traditional studio, O’Neil has spent the last five years painting directly in the natural world—submerging canvases in the sea, letting rain and rust leave their mark, and embracing the raw textures of twigs, branches, and organic surfaces.
Her process is both performative and philosophical, blurring the lines between artifice and the organic. Each work captures a specific place and time, becoming a living document of elemental interaction and personal transformation. O’Neil’s art challenges the illusion of control, critiques cultural self-obsession, and instead invites viewers to reconnect with the wild—both within and beyond themselves.
This exhibition invites visitors to experience nature not as subject, but as co-creator, and to explore the delicate, shifting boundary between the human-made and the earth-born.
Exhibitor Information
You can also join environmental artist and paint technologist Kim O'Neil and materials scientist Alex Spence for an interactive Talk & Paint Demo on Saturday 4th October from 2-4pm.
TALK DETAILS
Creating a Sustainable Art Practice
Interactive Talk & Paint Demo
Saturday 4th October
2 – 4pm
sponsored by liquitex bio-based acrylic paint.
£5 per ticket 
This is a unique opportunity to explore how to transform your creative process into an eco-friendly practice.
This interactive talk will shine a light on the environmental impact of traditional fine art materials and introduce Liquitex’s new bio-based acrylic paints—with a hands-on opportunity to try them yourself.
✨ Highlights:
- Discover practical ways to make your art practice more sustainable.
- Understand the chemical impact of common paints and materials.
- Learn to navigate disposal and reduce your creative carbon footprint.
- Engage in a live Q&A to troubleshoot sustainability challenges in your work.
- Test the innovative bio-paint and learn what makes it kinder to the planet
Whether you’re a professional artist or a curious creator, this event will inspire you to green your studio without compromising your vision.
🌿 Come for the paint, stay for the planet - Sponsored by liquitex bio-based acrylic paint.
