A framed painting of a large green rubber duck with goggles floating in a lake surrounded by mountains and wilderness. — Finished painting by Albert Bierstadt and Seamus Liam O’Brien, 2026.

Thrift Store Painting Collaboration Continues - Upcycling Albert Bierstadt

September 28, 2026

I recently purchased a large framed print by the artist Albert Bierstadt at an estate sale in Minneapolis, MN. The reproduction print is a copy of an original painting titled, ‘In the Mountains’ (1867) that is located at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art in Hartford, CT. I painted a rubber duck wearing a green wetsuit, goggles, and flying red and blue burgees on the print, and this piece was purchased by a couple in Mpls who had read about my rubber duck project in the Star Tribune. Thank you for your support!

Negative comment about Seamus Liam O'Brien artwork by Tina A.

I get some good comments from people about my rubber duck artwork

July 5, 2026

My duck artwork makes people very passionate sometimes (and that’s a good thing); negative and positive. And some people want to let me know how they feel…

Portrait painting of a yellow rubber duck wearing a purple crown sitting between a little boy and a little girl — Finished upcycled painting by Gea Caporiacco (?) and Seamus Liam O’Brien (2026)

Thrift Store Painting Collaboration Continues - Upcycling a Gea Caporiacco(?) painting

July 4, 2026

I purchased an oil painting at a yard sale at 25 Benhill Rd, St Paul, MN. The piece is a classic portrait of a young boy and girl seated side by side, staring out at the viewer, with realistic lighting, balanced composition, and rich textures. I painted a yellow rubber duck wearing a purple crown and holding a magic wand on the painting and donated this “new” artwork to Hidden Treasures Thrift Store on July 2, 2026, around 6:45pm.

Framed painting of a yellow rubber duck wearing rabbit ears in front of a lighthouse next to a white angel girl. — Finished artwork by Dona Gelsinger and Seamus Liam O’Brien, 2026

Thrift Store Painting Collaboration Continues - Upcycling a Dona Gelsinger painting

May 16, 2026

I purchased a framed print by the artist Dona Gelsinger from a thrift store in west St. Paul, MN. The image, rich with religious iconography, features a white angel girl looking up to the sky in prayer in front of an illuminated lighthouse by the shore. Surrounding the angel are two rabbits, a chipmunk, and a colorful array of flowers and trees. I painted a rubber duck wearing blue rabbit ears on the print and donated this ‘new’ artwork to the Goodwill Thrift Store in St. Paul, MN on…

Guy with sunglasses holding a painting of a wolf with a yellow rubber duck on its head in front of a Goodwill Thrift Store. — Artist Seamus Liam O’Brien holding the finished wolf/rubber duck painting in front of Goodwill Thrift Store.

Thrift Store Painting Collaboration Continues - Upcycling an unknown wolf painting

February 22, 2026

I purchased a painting at a yard sale on the corner of Oxford St and Saint Clair Ave. in St Paul, MN. The painting features a large, gray wolf staring at the viewer from the center/right in front of a shadowy forest. There is no date or artist’s signature on the work.

I painted a rubber duck wearing sunglasses and holding a martini glass on the wolf’s head and donated this “new” artwork to Goodwill Thrift Store…

Man holding a framed painting in front of a thrift store — Holding the finished painting in front of St. Vincent De Paul Thrift Store before donating it; 2026

Thrift Store Painting Collaboration Continues - Upcycling Robert Duncan 'Winter Friends'

February 1, 2026

A St. Paul resident reached out to me about donating a framed print for my duck project. She thought it was “ripe with inspiration,” and she was right! The framed print, by the artist Robert Duncan, illustrates a young boy constructing a snowman in a field, accompanied by a dog and another child observing from the sides. Originally titled, “Winter Friends.”

I painted a large snowman-themed rubber duck on the print and returned this ‘new’ painting to
St Vincent de Paul Thrift Store…

Framed painting of a young boy constructing a snowman in a field with a dog a small child observing from the sides. — Original framed print by the artist Robert Duncan purchased at a thrift store in west St. Paul.

Thrift Store Painting Collaboration Continues - Upcycling Robert Duncan

January 18, 2026

A St. Paul resident contacted me recently regarding a donation of a framed print for my duck project. The framed print, created by artist Robert Duncan (the second piece I have done with this artist!), illustrates a young boy constructing a snowman in a field, accompanied by a dog and another child observing from the sides.

I painted a large snowman-themed rubber duck on the print and plan on returning this ‘new’ piece back to a thrift store sometime this winter. But I think…I think with this project I’m going to try something new….

Pastel drawing of a caucasian child praying — Original print by Erna Kasabach, ‘Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep’, 17.25 x 13.25” framed

Thrift Store Painting Dropped off at Hidden Treasures Thrift Store - 09/27/2025 - Erna Kasabach

September 30, 2025

This summer I purchased a framed print by the artist Erna Kasabach (1906-1989) from Hidden Treasures Thrift Store in NE Minneapolis. The image depicts a young caucasian child kneeling in prayer in front of an illuminated background, gazing upwardly to his left. The phrase ‘Now I lay me down to sleep,’ is written below in a decorative freehand font…

Framed print of two loon birds nesting by a lake on a foggy morning — Original framed print by Marian Anderson - “Voice of the Lakes - Loons”

Thrift Store Painting Dropped off at Hidden Treasures Thrift Store - 09/06/2025

September 10, 2025

In the spring of 2025 a woman in Minneapolis, MN gave me a framed print as a donation for my rubber duck series. The print, by the artist Marian Anderson, is titled “Voice of the Lakes - Loons,” and it depicts two Loon birds nesting near a body of water on a foggy morning. I painted a vampire-themed rubber duck on the print (have you ever heard the call of a Loon? It’s scary…) and returned this ‘new’ artwork to Hidden Treasures Thrift Store on 09/06/2025, around 6:50 pm.

A successful collaboration!
Thank you Marian for your contribution to the work!

Framed painting of a couple of loon birds floating in a lake while a vampire rubber duck emerges from the fog in the background. — “Voice of the Lakes - Loons - Rubber Duck” by Marian Anderson and Seamus Liam O’Brien. Edition 1/1. 2025.

Thrift Store Painting Collaboration Continues - Marian Anderson

August 25, 2025

My new thrift store painting is finished! This one was donated to me from a woman in Minneapolis, MN, after she read about my story in the Star Tribune. The original print, titled ‘Voice of the Lakes - Loons,’ was created by an artist named Marian Anderson (dated November 1981). I painted a Dracula-themed rubber duck in the background, along with some bats, and plan to drop off this painting…

Painting of ocean waves crashing into rocks on the shore with a large, yellow, rubber duck floating in the distance

Thrift Store Painting Collaboration Continues - Bob Sanders

June 19, 2025

A few weeks ago, a woman in Minneapolis donated a framed print to me for my rubber duck series. The artwork, by Bob Sanders (b. 1950), is a picture of ocean waves crashing into rocks on the shore; measuring 23.5 x 33.5" (framed). I painted a large, yellow, rubber duck on the print and returned this 'new' artwork to the Goodwill in West St. Paul (1867 Robert St. S) on 06/16/25…

A white framed yellow rubber duck drawing and a white framed black rubber duck drawing.

Duck prints are now for sale at i-like-you-mn!

May 7, 2025

High-quality laser prints of some of my rubber duck dry pastel drawings are now for sale at i-like-you-mn in the Twin Cities!

—PRINTS ONLY - NOT FRAMED —
9 x 9”; signed and numbered; $30.00 each

Four different duck drawings to choose from!

Thrift Store Painting Collaboration Continues - J.S. Finona

April 28, 2025

I purchased a framed painting by the artist J.S. Finona from a garage sale on the corner of Saint Clair and Oxford; Saint Paul, Minnesota. The picture is a seascape with foreboding clouds and menacing waves crashing onto the shore. 19 x 23” framed. The seller told me he found the painting in his attic, but there is no other information about the artist. He or she might have been a local painter.

I painted a large, yellow, pirate rubber duck on the painting, and this piece was…

What a week! Artwork recognized in The Minnesota Star Tribune!

April 14, 2025

Thanks to the Star Tribune for the fun article about my artwork! “Why are rubber ducks mysteriously appearing on thrift store artworks? The story behind a St Paul man’s guerrilla art project” - by Richard Chin.

Still life painting with bottles, tomatoes, grapes, and a large rubber duck — The collaborative painting by Lucas and Seamus Liam O’Brien

Thrift Store Painting Collaboration Continues...

March 10, 2025

I purchased a framed print by the artist Lucas from Goodwill Thrift Store (1239 University Ave W) in St Paul, MN. The picture is a still life with bottles, tomatoes, grapes, and garlic. I painted a Ben Franklin rubber duck on the print and returned this ‘new’ artwork back to the same thrift store on 03/02/2025, around 4:52 pm.

Thrift Store Painting Collaboration Continues - els

January 21, 2025

I purchased a painting by the artist els (or maybe e/s?) from Hidden Treasures Thrift Store in NE Minneapolis. The landscape painting shows twelve red flowers in a dirt field… or maybe just flowers growing in a garden (it's pretty abstract). I painted a green rubber duck on the painting and returned this 'new' artwork back to the same thrift store on 1/18/25, around 12:56pm…

New duck model for my next thrift store painting

January 11, 2025

It’s almost done; the new thrift store painting is just about complete… I think. In any case, here is the new model, a delectable green rubber duck! Just in time for St. Patricks Day!

I’ll announce when I drop it off at the thrift store. Should be soon, and then on to the next one!

Painting of cows watching a boy and his dog walking in the snow pulling a large, blue, rubber duck. — New collaborative painting by Robert Duncan and Seamus Liam O’Brien

Thrift Store Painting Collaboration Continues - Robert Duncan

May 3, 2024

I purchased a framed print by the artist Robert Duncan from GoodWill Thrift Store at 1239 University Ave W, St. Paul, MN. The print, ‘Curious Onlookers,’ shows cows watching a boy as he walks by with his dog in the snow. I painted a rubber duck on the print and returned this ‘new’ artwork back to the same thrift store on 5/01/2024, around 12:30pm….

Thrift Store Painting Collaboration Continues - Judy Mandolf

April 25, 2024

I purchased a framed print by the artist Judy Mandolf from Hidden Treasures Thrift Store (2915 Pentagon Dr, Minneapolis). The print, 'Purple Tub,' is part of a "bathroom series created through a combination of photography and computer techniques." The image shows a purple/blue bathtub in a yellow/green bathroom…

Thrift Store painting collaboration continues...

July 10, 2023

I purchased a painting by the artist Guerra from Hidden Treasures Thrift Store on 06/10/2023. The landscape painting shows a tropical beach with a lighthouse on the right side. Priced: $1.99.
I painted a rubber flamingo (plastic flamingo?) on the piece and returned this ‘new’ artwork back to the same thrift store on 07/08/2023, around 2:00pm. A successful collaboration! Thanks, Guerra, for your contribution to the work!

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