Meet Eugene O’neill

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Eugene O’neill. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Eugene, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

I originally wasn’t planning on going to college. I was very fortunate to have the path revealed by my high school art teacher, who knew it would be a good fit for me to pursue Art Education. As a 17-year-old looking to escape the clutches of public education, I theatrically laughed in her face. Yet here I am, 17 years later, dedicating my energy and intention to sharing art & wellness with children and adults alike. Purpose found me in a 3rd-grade classroom, where I realized it was no longer homework, college assignments, and deadlines. Feeling that level of responsibility for their development made it real for me. When you can shape someone’s life for the better, it’s best to remember the moment(s) when someone else shaped yours. Teachers play such a crucial role in early childhood, and I’m grateful for the people who went outside the box to meet the needs of my learning style. I feel called to provide that same opportunity to others and share the arts & wellness practices I learned along the way.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

Storytime:
My name is Eugene O’Neill I’m a 34-year-old Educator and Muralist residing in Albany, New York. My journey started in college with clothing design, where one day I saw a classmate screen printing on a T-shirt. I tried it, became obsessed, and never stopped printing. In 2012, I didn’t trust the state of the public education system and the major changes it was going through; I felt a lack of job security and representation for the arts in schools. I feared becoming a young, helpless teacher in a broken system with a finite amount of kids I could ultimately help.
Despite 4.5 years of extensive study, I decided to bet on myself and continued with clothing production. I taught myself through the few educational resources YouTube had. Eventually, I took out a small loan on the necessary equipment to start a screen printing business (Made In Truth) and packed it all in a small room in the basement. The business grew along with the space, so I added embroidery and other embellishment services. However, something was missing and I could feel it. I began offering brand consultation for clients, assisting them to establish brand pillars and turn ideas into tangible forms of marketing. It was as if, subconsciously, teaching was finding its way to the surface.
7 years ago, my clients at 4th Family presented an idea to have kids from the community paint “Red X”(condemned) buildings on Henry Johnson Blvd. in Albany. We collaborated with The Albany Center Gallery and Albany Housing Authority to have 6 young creatives design and paint custom murals for 3 locations. This was one of the earliest youth mural programs at the time; we barely had the resources to do our own projects, so providing that opportunity to them was a huge accomplishment. In the years to come, I continued to align with community leaders and notable local artists to develop more youth art programs. During peak pandemic, I was invited to co-lead a youth mural program called Amplified Voices founded by Jade Warrick. With the rapid changes in racial safety, mental health, and isolation society was facing, we saw the greatest importance of giving youth a platform to be a part of the social landscape. Every program we adapt and improve, becoming steps closer to being an effective resource for organizations, schools, and parents looking to foster the creative spark in their children. For the last 3 years, I have also been developing youth mural programs with my cousin in San Diego and Los Angeles. The first 2 years raised awareness, reforestation funds, and medicine for an Ecuadorian family preserving the sacred and biodiverse land of Tangan.

Art is an essential self-help guide for healing, representation, and narrative; that’s where my focus lies today. I work alongside schools, community organizations, businesses, and entrepreneurs to bring Joy into spaces that need it most—whether that’s through large-scale public murals, youth/adult mural programs, wellness-focused art workshops, custom commissions, or guest speaking.

The fusion of art and wellness in my work has me most excited. It has become a full garden, and the flowers are blooming. I’m not just teaching people how to create art; I’m showing them how any creative outlet can lead to innovative personal growth and self-discovery. I’ve seen firsthand how engaging with art can shift the mindset and life trajectory of students, professionals, and entire communities. It’s not just about beautifying a space; it’s about activating it. Almost as if the space and experience itself were alive. Art is so mystic in its ability to heal and transform everything and anyone it encounters. I aim to do that through my murals and educational programs/workshops.

Follow me on:
Instagram @mixingthemedicine
www.linkedin.com/in/mixingthemedicine/
www.madeintruthmadebyus.com

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

The top three qualities that helped me to get this far are patience, self-awareness, and visualization of the desired outcome. These three allowed me to see and feel the desired outcome through visualization, confirm the alignment of these feelings in the present with self-awareness, and have the patience to know that if I follow these steps, I will achieve them. The most important thing to remember is that with visualization, you cannot be critical of what the final result should look like; focus more on the feeling. The universe has so much more in store for us when we dream bigger than what makes us feel comfortable. When confronted with things that make you feel the heightened bodily sense of being afraid but aren’t scared in that instance, you are instead operating from a space of intuition. My greatest advice would be to analyze the things that you are afraid of without judgment. This will help you to determine if they are actually harmful or are everything you have ever wanted. A personal hobby that helped strengthen this discernment is rock climbing, mind you, I was afraid of heights when I started. As you start to climb higher, your mind goes, “HEYYYY WE ARE CUTTING IT CLOSE HERE.” You have two choices at that moment: listen to your body and get down, or assess the situation for actual danger and keep climbing.

How would you describe your ideal client?

For me, the ideal client is open, collaborative, and truly values the impact of art & wellness on community and personal transformation. They don’t just want a mural or a workshop—they want to build something sustainable and meaningful that speaks to the soul and leaves a lasting impression.
Whether it’s a school district looking to engage and inspire students, community organizations aiming to bring people together, or entrepreneurs, small businesses, and big corporations seeking to elevate their space with intention, the client should feel just as passionate about the outcome as I am. They’re willing to understand the process, problem-solve in tandem, trust the creative journey, and allow the result to become a magnet for empowerment, inspiration, and joy.
When someone sees the potential impact of how my art can heal, their patience and input are greatly appreciated so we can make something that feels authentic and timeless. In direct relation to the youth, my ideal client is prioritizing their mental health and providing opportunities to foster safe spaces for wellness-related activities that introduce techniques for mood regulation and self-awareness. They value this personal development as well and see the need to professionally educate themselves and their staff to be more present and effective role models of these practices.

Beyond the well-being and cultural significance, the return on investment from my services is evident in the increased value of the location and the enhanced visibility of the client’s brand or mission. My art has a unique way of blossoming environments and the minds of its viewers, making them more marketable and attractive places of gathering. It’s driving foot traffic, fostering community conversations and engagement, or elevating the aesthetic appeal. Positive relationships and goodwill are built as the space becomes a hub for connection, inspiration, and growth—leading to stronger community ties and long-term benefits for all involved.

Contact Info:

• Website: (Coming soon) : www.checkouttruth.com
• Instagram: @mixingthemedicine
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mixingthemedicine/