Walter O'Neill started working in ceramics three years ago. he had been a painter for over 30 years, specializing in true fresco painting. His oil paintings and frescoes have been exhibit in New York, Maine, Maryland, and Washington, D.C. As expert in fresco painting he has taught and lectured on fresco painting technique at museums and colleges. An image of his fresco is featured in the 3rd edition of "Gateways to Art" the leading art appreciation textbook used in colleges and advanced placement art history courses. Published by Thames & Hudson. (fall 2018)

First learning the technique of fresco at Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, he then went to Italy to further his study of fresco while completing his M.A.at Hunter College. On return to New York he set up the fresco guild education workshop at The Cloisters, Metropolitan Museum of Art. He returned to Italy to study Pompeian frescoes in preparation for a mural commissioned by Bloomingdales Store.

In 1987 he was invited to teach fresco painting at Skowhegan and stayed for a decade. He has presented fresco workshops at museums and colleges including: The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Morgan Library, Queens Art Museum, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Walters Art Museum, University of Wisconsin, Williams College, University of Southern California, and Adelphi University.