Neighbors: Jane O'Neal

Jane O’Neal grew up outside of Cambridge, England, where a herd of hungry swans woke her up each morning by knocking on her family’s houseboat.

Just to get to school, she had to row across the river to the shore, hop on her bicycle and furiously pedal three miles through a gypsy camp.

“They had a great big Billy goat that would chase me,” O’Neal says. “Every morning, it was touch-and-go whether that Billy goat would be out or not. My dad would threaten the owner that if he didn’t put the goat away, he would have him for dinner.”

O’Neal’s father, Ozzie, worked as a master plumber and bombardier during World War II and raced motorcycles as a hobby. Once his wife had had her fill of the wind in her face as his sidecar passenger, he didn’t look too far for a replacement — his daughter.

“I’m used to speed,” O’Neal says. “This sidecar is not the one you see on the street, it’s like a sheet of metal. We used to do up to 150 miles an hour. There’s quite a lot of vibration because you’re hanging on for dear life.”

Ozzie O’Neal was a tough Irishman who raised his daughter as a tomboy — mostly. His father was a long-time dance teacher who put his granddaughter straight into ballet as soon as she turned 2.

“It was not a mistake,” O’Neal says. “I loved dancing, because I’m such a creative person. I just never stopped. It’s a way of keeping fit, but when you get on the floor in a competition, it’s exhilarating. When I dance, I feel like I’m painting with my body.”

Good thing she also happens to be a painter.

Currently, she is painting a wine country mural on the exterior of the Short Stop on Orange Avenue, owned by her daughter and son-in-law, Jane and Ali Molavi. The couple wanted something other than the usual beach-and-palm-tree scene.

“We wanted to put something fun in there,” O’Neal says. “The old red truck, wine barrels. At the end of the two niches, there will be a party with musicians and people sitting at tables drinking wine. We’re trying to make this place stand out.”

O’Neal seems to be reaching her goal; her mural has already caught the eye of Denise Kowal, founder of the Sarasota Chalk Festival. This year, the Short Stop is included as a stop on its must-see artwork list. The Women’s Exchange has also commissioned her to do a piece for its building.

“I’ve had a very full life,” O’Neal says. “If I kicked the bucket tonight, I would be quite happy.”

Jane O’Neal on Jerry Springer
“Jerry Springer came into Fred Astaire Dance Studio about three or four years ago and was practicing for ‘Dancing with the Stars.’ He was learning to do the cha-cha. He kept dancing pigeon-toed, and I had to keep reminding him, ‘Dance with your toes out.’”