New sign painting on a scrap piece of wood. "Forty Two*", 22.5 x 24", acrylic paint on 1/4" thick plywood. 42 is the famously calculated 'Answer to the ultimate question of life, the universe, and everything' via The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy…
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‘ICE’ and ‘CHILL’ signs by Seamus Liam O’Brien. 6 × 10” each
ICE CHILL ICE CHILL ICE CHILL ICE CHILL
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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New 'ICE COLD' signs on wood
‘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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New 'NE Mpls Rocks!' magnets now available at I-Like-You-MN
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…
“SINCE,” acrylic paint on wood, 4 × 4”, 2026
New sign painting on wood - SINCE
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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‘Ice Cold Beer,’ 12x12,”acrylic/latex paint on MDF, 2025
New hand-painted BEER signs available to purchase at I-Like-You-MN
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…
Read MoreNew sign painting on photographs
I recently painted on top of some old photographs of my father, James Terence (Terry) O'Brien.
I think in the left picture he was around 18-20 years old(?). On the right, maybe 4-6 years old(?)
- 5 x 7" each, acrylic paint on photographic paper, 2025. I was trying to do something that was kind-of-sort-of-like the artist John Baldessari... but different, maybe. I used aspirational text for the work but why I chose those particular words for those particular photographs is unknown to me, it just felt right. This piece was challenging to paint because…
New hand-painted CHILL signs now available for purchase.
New CHILL signs are now available at I-Like-You-MN
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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Hand-painted hotdogs on masonite; acrylic paint, 5.5” diameter.
New hotdog magnets now for sale at I-Like-You-MN
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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New sign painting - Welcome, Welcome
New sign painting on a scrap piece of wood.
“Welcome, Welcome (2)”, acrylic paint on wood, 15 x 20”
The design is actually inspired by a sign I saw at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. There is a service elevator located downstairs that contractors must use to transport their equipment into the building. Kind of sort of near the European Sculpture and Decorative Arts area. In front of the elevator downstairs was an office door with a note on it that said, ‘Welcome Welcome.’ I would stare at it sometimes while we waited for the elevator. Ahhh, I can still hear that elevator sound…
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Work pants... RIP
I tried to keep these work pants as long as I could but the rip in the knees just wouldn’t stop! At a certain point I just start to feel like a degenerate, so I buy new pants and begin the process again. I’ve gone through so much clothing in my lifetime, and I’m sure it isn’t as much as some, but I wonder where it all goes?
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ICE (4), 14 x 18", acrylic paint on wood, 2025
New sign painting on a scrap piece of wood
ICE (4), 14 x 18", acrylic paint on wood. Continuing with ICY snow-capped lettering. This piece was purchased from an individual in the great state of Pennsylvania! Thank YOU... for your interest in hand-painted signs!
Interested in having your own painted sign? Then send me an email and…
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Finished a new hotdog sign for collector in PA
I completed a new hotdog sign this week for a collector in Pennsylvania. Apparently she used to work in the carnival as a kid and has a collection of signs in her home. I sent her three iterations for the design, and this is the one she chose. Her only request was that I add a ‘$.25’ symbol to the work.
- Thank You for your patronage… and for supporting of the arts!
New ICE signs up for sale at I-Like-You-MN →
New hand painted ICE signs now for sale at I-Like-You-MN in NE Minneapolis.
- Click on the link for more info -
For the mere price of a tank of gas, YOU can purchase some Minneapolis ICE!
So what are you waiting for? Give the gift that keeps on giving… the coolest signs in town are HERE!!
New collaborative painting by Robert Duncan and Seamus Liam O’Brien
Thrift Store Painting Collaboration Continues - Robert Duncan
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….
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"Cold Beer" Signs for sale @ I-Like-You-MN
New "COLD BEER" signs are finished and heading off to I-Like-You-MN this week for purchase! Give the gift of sign painting and see all your troubles disappear! ($50 USD)
12" + 15" diameter, acrylic paint on MDF, 2024.
New sign painting for purchase
New sign painting on board… and a friendly public service announcement in case some of you forgot-
‘Happy Tastes Good,’ 24.25 x 21.25”, enamel and acrylic paint on masonite. Inspired by Dairy Queen advertising - As I was enjoying my DQ Blizzard I was reminded on the wrapper that happy tastes good… and they might be right, but let’s also not forget about the Oreos too!
If you are interested in purchasing this fine sign the…
Read MoreSome new sign painting in the oven... figuratively speaking.
Working on some new signs this week. I’ve been getting some inquiries lately about pricing (must be something in the air?) so I’ll start being more forthright about the cost for each work… if one is interested.
And for those of you who are interested…
Read MoreNew magnet signs for your refrigerator
New sign painting - EAT - signs are completed and heading out to I-Like-You-MN this week for purchase!
6x6” each, enamel + acrylic paint on masonite, magnets.
Let your refrigerator shine with these new magnet signs!
Read MoreNew sign painting up at Las Estrellas Dual Language School in NE Minneapolis.
New sign painting up for Las Estrellas Dual Language School in NE Minneapolis. 24x72,” latex paint on wood paneling + wall.
Las Estrellas is in the process of incorporating its mascot (the owl) into its hallways to connect with students and build its identity. With that said, the mascot uses dual text to help the children with comprehension and enhance their cognitive skills. Since their library sign needed a makeover… I combined the owl and the library signage to help get the message across.
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