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…
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Finished upcycled painting by Gea Caporiacco (?) and Seamus Liam O’Brien (2026)
Thrift Store Painting Collaboration Continues - Upcycling a Gea Caporiacco(?) painting
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.
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Finished artwork by Dona Gelsinger and Seamus Liam O’Brien, 2026
Thrift Store Painting Collaboration Continues - Upcycling a Dona Gelsinger painting
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…
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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…
St. Paul Rocks! magnets by Seamus Liam O’Brien - 2026
New 'St. Paul Rocks!' magnets now available at ILikeYouMN
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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Here's to you work pants... RIP
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
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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Work pants... RIP
“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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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'
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…
‘Conjunctions,’ acrylic paint on wood, various sizes, 2026
New sign painting on various scraps of wood - conjunctions
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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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
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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‘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 hand painted Xmas tree ornaments now available for purchase at I-Like-You-MN
New hand painted Xmas tree ornaments are now available for purchase at I-Like-You-MN in both of their Twin City locations - St Pauly + Minneapolis! (Acrylic paint on cut birch, 2025). Why not have the best Xmas tree on your block with the help of these handy-dandy ornaments! Why, Santa Claus himself.. will stop dead in his tracks when he sees such magnificent beauties on your tree!!
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…
“OK”, acrylic and latex paint on wood panel, 10×10” each, 2025
I Finished Some New Artwork - OK(?)
I decided to make these really quick between projects, just something fun to do. There is a photo stylist at my job that has a handbag that says ‘OK’ all over it. I really like it, but it got me thinking about how much I say the word ‘OK’ throughout my life…
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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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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
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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