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Seamus Liam O'Brien Studios

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A weekly blog of what's going on in the studio; interests, tastes, and general hullabaloo.

Hand painted signs that say ICE and CHILL in red and blue snow-capped letters

‘ICE’ and ‘CHILL’ signs by Seamus Liam O’Brien. 6 × 10” each

ICE CHILL ICE CHILL ICE CHILL ICE CHILL

April 24, 2026

I’m down to my last six ICE signs! I started painting these items to sell back in the Fall of 2025. Even painted them years earlier! ICE… as in frozen water. Get it? It’s cold in the Twin Cities, I brought you some ICE from MN! Hey… CHILL out and relax! Its hot where you live? I brought you some ICE from up north… Get It?????? But lord all mighty, a different type of ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) ended up coming to the city in the winter of 2025, and all hell broke loose! The word ICE took on a different meaning, especially here in the Twin Cities. And all my signs were pulled from…

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In Fine Art, Hand painted signage, Lettering, Minneapolis, Minnesota, MN, Sign Painter, sign painting Tags art, artist, paint, painting, painter, painted, signs, sign, lettering, font, text, snow-capped, letters, red, blue, cold, CHILL, ICE, snowcapped, icesigns, icy, icey, signpainter, signpainting, signage, MN, Minnesota, Minneapolis, Mpls, Twin Cities, St Paul, immigration enforcement, snowy, Seamus, Liam, O'Brien, OBrien, seamusliamobrien, thewonderfulworldof, handpainted, hand-painted, artforsale, zeitgeist, accumulation, dont tread on me
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Four light blue signs that say ICE COLD in red snow-capped lettering

New 'ICE COLD' signs on wood

April 23, 2026

‘ICE COLD’, 6x6” each, acrylic paint on wood, 2026. I painted some ‘ICE COLD’ signs for an art event that was scheduled for May. But wouldn’t you know it, the event parameters changed, and now these signs aren’t applicable. I thought I was being smart by starting early, but it ended up biting me in the arse. What to do, what to do…

Well… if any of you are interested in purchasing a sign, just…

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In Fine Art, Hand painted signage, Lettering, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Sign Painter, sign painting Tags ART, ARTIST, paint, painting, painted, painter, sign, signs, signage, lettering, font, text, ICE COLD, ICE-COLD, snow-capped, letters, hand-painted, signpainter, signpainting, snow, ice, IceCold, What's cooler than being cool?, Seamus, Liam, O'Brien, seamusliamobrien, OBrien, thewonderfulworldof, artforsale, blue, red, white, snowy, MN, Mpls, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, St Paul, Minnesota, wood, paneling, panel, small
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White circles with red and blue text on them that says, 'NE Mpls Rocks!'

New 'NE Mpls Rocks!' magnets now available at I-Like-You-MN

April 17, 2026

New hand-painted refrigerator magnets are now available at ILikeYouMN, located in…..
NE Minneapolis! 5” diameter, acrylic paint on wood, 2026. That’s right folks, NORTHEAST MINNEAPOLIS ROCKS! Didn’t know that did you? Who says so? Me, that’s who! And I bet Prince dug it too! And with plenty of places to go and see there is never a dull moment! So why not celebrate this rich area of Minneapolis with a…

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In Hand painted signage, Lettering, Magnet Art, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Sign Painter, sign painting Tags art, artist, paint, painting, painter, painted, sign, signage, signs, lettering, font, text, NE Mpls ROCKS!, red, blue, black, promotion, advertisement, Minneapolis, Mpls, Twin Cities, I-Like-You-MN, ILIKEYOUMN, consignment shop, hand-painted, signpainter, signpainting, magnets, refrigerator, refrigeratorart, home decor, kitchen decor, fridge decor, Seamus, Liam, O'Brien, OBrien, seamusliamobrien, supportartists, Prince, thewonderfulworldof, MN, Minnesota
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Blue and white sign painted circles that say 'St. Paul Rocks!

St. Paul Rocks! magnets by Seamus Liam O’Brien - 2026

New 'St. Paul Rocks!' magnets now available at ILikeYouMN

March 31, 2026

New hand-painted refrigerator magnets now available at ILikeYouMN in the Twin Cities.

5” diameter, acrylic paint on wood, 2026. (Because this batch kind of looks like baseballs I decided to go with the local team colors - St Paul Saints)

That’s right folks, little did you know that ST. PAUL ROCKS!

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In Hand painted signage, Lettering, Magnet Art, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Painting, Sign Painter, sign painting Tags art, artist, paint, painting, painted, painter, sign, signage, lettering, font, text, St. Paul Rocks!, hand-painted, souvenir, take home, magnet, refrigerator magnet, wood, acrylic paint, St Paul Saints, Brian Setzer, Billie Joe Armstrong, Green Day, Kaohly Her, mayor, ILikeYouMN, I-Like-You-MN, Seamus, Liam, O'Brien, OBrien, seamusliamobrien, signpainter, signpainting, for sale, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, St Paul, thewonderfulworldof, Minnesota, MN, Mpls
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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…

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In Fine Art, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Painting, rubber duck art, MN Tags art, artist, paint, painting, painted, painter, rubber duck, ducky, duckey, rubberduck, rubberducky, thrift, thrift store, thriftstore, Goodwill, Roseville, MN, Mpls, minneapolis, minnesota, upcycling, yellow, gray wolf, Twin Cities, hidden treasures, hidden treasure, Seamus, Liam, O'Brien, OBrien, seamusliamobrien, pink sunglasses, pink martini glass, graywolf, grey, thewonderfulworldof, thrifting, thriftart, pink martini, toy
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Work pants... RIP

February 13, 2026

Here is to my work pants! You have done a good job but now it is time to go.
Thanks again Dickies…

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In Fine Art, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Muralist, Muralpainting, Painting, Scenic Arts, scenic painting, Sign Painter, sign painting Tags art, artist, paint, painting, painted, painter, pants, workpants, used, painterly, messy, work attire, seamus, liam, O'Brien, OBrien, seamusliamobrien, thewonderfulworldof, luigi, bowser, minnesota, minneapolis, mpls, st paul, twin cities
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The word, SINCE, painted in yellow letters on a light green piece of wood.

“SINCE,” acrylic paint on wood, 4 × 4”, 2026

New sign painting on wood - SINCE

February 10, 2026

Super small post but I thought I would upload it anyway…

New sign painting on a scrap piece of wood - ‘SINCE’, acrylic paint on wood, 4 x 4”, 2026.
In-between paint projects I like to paint signs, or in this case, a conjunction word. (A word used to connect clauses or sentences or to coordinate words in the same clause.) Inspired by the classic SchoolHouse Rock commercial I used to watch as a kid.

This little piece joins the rest of my signs on my wall to create…

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In Hand painted signage, Lettering, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Painting, Sign Painter, sign painting Tags art, artist, paint, painting, painted, painter, sign, signage, signpainter, signpainting, lettering, font, text, yellow, red, blue, wood, scrap wood, conjunction, whats your function, word, SINCE, in-between, small, conversation, Seamus, Liam, O'Brien, OBrien, seamusliamobrien, thewonderfulworldof, new, old, minneapolis, St Paul, twin cities, mn, minnesota, hand painted
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Various conjunction words and phrases painted on wood

‘Conjunctions,’ acrylic paint on wood, various sizes, 2026

New sign painting on various scraps of wood - conjunctions

February 1, 2026

New sign painting on various scrap pieces of wood I pick up at the shop. Not sure what it means, but between paint projects I like to paint conjunctions. I put them around the studio; try out different fonts and color combinations. “Conjunctions…

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In Fine Art, Hand painted signage, Lettering, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Painting, Sign Painter, sign painting Tags art, artartist, paint, painter, painted, painting, words, text, font, sign, signs, signpainting, signpainter, signage, lettering, fonttext, Seamus, Liam, O'Brien, OBrien, seamusliamobrien, conjunctions, phrases, however, and, therefore, but, then, just as, Twin cities, mpls, St PAul, scraps, scrapwood, lines, spacing, glue, whats your function
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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….

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In Fine Art, Minneapolis, Minnesota, MN, Painting, rubber duck art Tags art, artwork, paint, painting, snow, snowman, snow sculpture, Robert Duncan, collaboration, upcycled, upcycle, white rubber duck, top hat, snowduck, snowfield, dog, polka dot scarf, recycle, thrift store, thrifting, thrift art, salvation army, St Paul, Minneapolis, Mpls, MN, twin cities, winter, winterscape, snowtime, Seamus, Liam, O'Brien, seamusliamobrien, OBrien, framed print, paintpainting, painter, orange bill, cold, icy, icey, Ice
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‘Ice Cold Beer,’ 12x12,”acrylic/latex paint on MDF, 2025

New hand-painted BEER signs available to purchase at I-Like-You-MN

December 15, 2025

New hand-painted BEER signs available to purchase at I-Like-You-MN in the Twin Cities! But sorry, no quick link available for purchase. If you are interested in picking one up you will have to contact them, or me, the old-fashioned way: email or phone! But I’ll probably make more so…

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In Fine Art, Hand painted signage, Lettering, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Painting, Sign Painter, sign painting Tags art, artist, paint, painting, painter, painted, sign, signs, lettering, font, text, BEER signs, handpainted, ICE COLD BEER, snow capped lettering, red arrow, yellow, red, blue, snowy letters, MN, Minnesota, Minneapolis, Mpls, Twin Cities, I-Like-You-MN, artforsale, thewonderfulworldof, Served Here, yellow signs, Seamus, Liam, O'Brien, OBrien, seamusliamobrien, chilly, cold, icy, icey, midwest, design, advertisements
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Signs that say CHILL in red, blue, and turquoise snow-capped lettering

New hand-painted CHILL signs now available for purchase.

New CHILL signs are now available at I-Like-You-MN

October 29, 2025

New hand-painted ‘CHILL’ signs are now available to purchase at a store called I-Like-You-MN in the Twin Cities! (6x10” each, acrylic paint on wood, $25 each) These wooden signs (with a hanger on the back) help to celebrate the winter season… or better yet, to help celebrate one’s dopeness at home! What better way to spruce up your old art collection or lonely book shelf than with a cool (pun intended) CHILL sign!!

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In Hand painted signage, Lettering, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Painting, Sign Painter, sign painting Tags art, artist, paint, painter, painting, painted, sign, signs, red, blue, turquoise, blue/green, signage, lettering, signpainting, signpainter, text based, art for sale, CHILL, CHILLsigns, hand-painted, handpainted, MN, Minneapolis, Mpls, Minnesota, wood, wood panel, hanger, holiday shopping, baby signs, snow-capped lettering, snowy, snow letters, I-Like-You-MN, ILIKEYOUMN, consignment shop, seamus, liam, O'Brien, OBrien, seamusliamobrien, ice, icey, ICE
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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…

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In Fine Art, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Painting, rubber duck art Tags art, artist, paint, painting, painted, painter, Erna Kasabach, rubber duck, rubberduck, yellow rubber duck, blue book, toy, thrift, thriftstore, thrifting, used, thewonderfulworldof, toybathtime, Hidden Treasures, Thrift Store, NE Minneapolis, Mpls, MN, Minnesota, boy praying, caucasian, pray, illuminated, red hair, print, printing, Edward Gross and Comp., NYC print, Now I lay me down to sleep, signatures, pastel drawing, collaboration, return, white frame, Twin Cities, St PAul, seamusliamobrien, Liam, Seamus, O'Brien, OBrien
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Portrait painting of a woman in a blue dress

Original painting of a woman in a blue dress by the artist B. Milavsky

Completed - commission for sign painting on a thrift store painting

September 24, 2025

I got a commission recently to paint some text (in a word balloon) on a nifty thrift store painting;
36 x 24” text and design by the patron. The original painting, by B. Milavsky, is a portrait of a woman in a blue dress. It is unclear to me as to who the woman is or what her relationship was to the artist; the piece is not dated. But she kind of reminds me of the actress Amy Adams…

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In comic book art, Fine Art, Hand painted signage, Lettering, Minnesota, Painting, Sign Painter, sign painting Tags art, artist, paint, painting, painted, painter, thrift store, thriftstore, thrift art, thrift painting, B. Milavsky, portrait, oil, woman in blue dress, red lipstick, red hair, commission, art for sale, word balloon, text, signpainting, signpainter, comics, comicbook, Emily Dickinson, poet, quote, handpainted, signature, Seamus, Liam, O'Brien, seamusliamobrien, OBrien, St Paul, MN, Minneapolis, Minnesota, If your nerve deny you, thewonderfulworldof, collaboration, Amy Adams
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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! 

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In Fine Art, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Painting, rubber duck art Tags art, artist, paint, painting, painted, print, thrift, thrift store, thrifting, thrift store art, thrift store painting, rubber duck, rubber ducky, Marian Anderson, Voice of the Lakes - Loons, Voice of the Lakes - Loons and Rubber Duck, vampire, dracula, vampire duck, bats, autumn, foggy, creepy, collaboration, Seamus, Liam, O'Brien, seamusliamobrien, OBrien, vampire-themed, vampire rubber duck, Count Duckula, Brass Lantern Publishing, red cape, fangs, loons nesting, Minneapolis, HiddenTreasures, Thrift Store, NE Minneapolis, MN, Minnesota, donate, donation, Hidden Treasures, Limited Edition Print, one of a kind painting, Twin Cities, thewonderfulworldof
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Framed painting of a small child praying with a yellow rubber duck on his head.

“Now I lay me down to sleep with a rubber duck.” Painting by Erna Kasabach and Seamus Liam O’Brien. 2025

Thrift Store Painting Collaboration Continues - Erna Kasabach

September 5, 2025

I purchased a framed print by the artist Erna Kasabach from Hidden Treasures Thrift Store in NE Minneapolis. “Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep.” 17.25 x 13.25”. The image depicts a small child looking up to the top right corner of the picture and praying. Originally priced: $6.00.

I painted a yellow rubber duck reading a blue book on the boy’s head, and I will return this new artwork back to the same thrift store… probably by mid-September. I’ll announce the drop off…

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Tags art, artist, painter, painting, painted, Erna Kasabach, thrift, thrift store, thrift store art, thrifting, humor, prayer, praying, boy praying, pastel drawing, print, E.G. Company, Hidden Treasures Thrift Store, NE Minneapolis, Mpls, Minnesota, MN, hidden Treasures, Seamus, Liam, O'Brien, OBrien, seamusliamobrien, rubber duck, ducky, yellow, blue book, reading, frame, white frame, now I lay me down to sleep, collaboration, thewonderfulworldof
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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…

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In Minneapolis, Minnesota, Painting, rubber duck art Tags art, artist, thrift, thrift store, thrift store art, painting, Loons, print, framed, frame, bird, Minnesota, Minneapolis, Mpls, Loon, lake, land of lakes, nest, nesting, donation, Marian Anderson, litho, lithography, Seamus, Liam, O'Brien, OBrien, seamusliamobrien, thewonderfulworldof, collaboration, painter, Voice of the lakes, dracula, dracula duck, bats, donate, before and after
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Knock Knock Who's There? written in gold on a piece of white marble.

New sign painting on MDF

July 1, 2025

New sign painting on a scrap piece of MDF, painted to resemble faux marble. At my workplace, we create numerous samples, and one texture that consistently appears is marble. The Greeks and the Egyptians used it and well... it's still the product of choice for some reason. Something about it just speaks to people; it has an air of authenticity, it conveys "class." 
So anyway, we had to clean out the sample library at work and…

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In Fine Art, Hand painted signage, Lettering, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Painting, Sign Painter, sign painting Tags art, artist, paint, painter, painted, painting, sign, signage, signs, lettering, font, text, gold, regal, golden, joke, one liner, MDF, wood, faux finish, trick, Seamus, Liam, O'Brien, OBrien, seamusliamobrien, signpainter, signpainting, thewonderfulworldof, one-liner, jokes, knock knock, acrylic paint, art for sale, romanesque, greek, egyptian, latex paint, faux finishing, fake, tricks, Roman, Greek, Egyptian, Romanesque, austerity
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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…

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In Fine Art, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Painting, rubber duck art Tags art, artist, paint, painting, painter, painted, Bob Sanders, seascape, landscape, ocean shore, waves, ocean, seagulls, thrift, goodwill, thriftstore art, thriftart, collaboration, Seamus, Liam, O'Brien, OBrien, seamusliamobrien, St Paul, MN, Mpls, Minneapolis, Twin Cities, donation, commissions, rubber duck, rubber ducky, yellow duck, yellow, Luminous Waves, Tranquil Ocean Scene
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Red, white, and blue circular hotdog magnets

Hand-painted hotdogs on masonite; acrylic paint, 5.5” diameter.

New hotdog magnets now for sale at I-Like-You-MN

June 7, 2025

New HOTDOG magnets now for sale at I-Like-You-MN in NE Minneapolis AND ST. Paul.
Or purchase online via this link: HOTDOG MAGNETS.

Celebrate the summer in style with some hand-painted magnets for your refrigerator… or any magnetic surface for that matter! Acrylic paint on masonite, 5.5” diameter.

Patriotic red, white, and blue colors are available to represent all types of nations, including…

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In Hand painted signage, Magnet Art, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Painting Tags art, art for sale, magnets, artist, magnet, refrigerator art, refrigerator, hotdog, hotdogs, hot dogs, hot dog, hand painted, paint, painting, painter, decor, mustard, red, white, blue, summer time fun, Mpls, Minneapolis, MN, St Paul, twin cities, I-Like-You-MN, ILikeYouMN, consignment shop, sale, Seamus, Liam, O'Brien, OBrien, seamusliamobrien, outlines, summer, thewonderfulworldof
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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!

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In Fine Art, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Painting, rubber duck art Tags art, artist, print, prints, for sale, art for sale, ducks, rubber ducks, rubberduckart, rubber duck, yellow, black, bonnett, sailors cap, sailors collar, big mouth, drawings, dry pastel, laser prints, framed, i-like-you_mn, Minnesota, Mpls, Minneapolis, St Paul, Twin Cities, artist prints, Seamus, O'Brien, OBrien, Liam, seamusliamobrien, spring, colorful, commerce, thewonderfulworldof
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ICE CHILL ICE CHILL ICE CHILL ICE CHILL
ICE CHILL ICE CHILL ICE CHILL ICE CHILL
about 28 minutes ago
New 'ICE COLD' signs on wood
New 'ICE COLD' signs on wood
about 22 hours ago
New 'NE Mpls Rocks!' magnets now available at I-Like-You-MN
New 'NE Mpls Rocks!' magnets now available at I-Like-You-MN
about a week ago
New 'St. Paul Rocks!' magnets now available at ILikeYouMN
New 'St. Paul Rocks!' magnets now available at ILikeYouMN
about 3 weeks ago
Here's to you work pants... RIP
Here's to you work pants... RIP
about a month ago
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