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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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…
Read MorePainting the words, DE LOS (of the) at Pura Vida Elite Training
Part 3: Sign Painting Continues at Pura Vida Elite Training (Minneapolis, MN)
Some big, BIG sign painting going up at Pura Vida Elite Training, a state-of-the-art indoor soccer training facility accessible to all youth players throughout the Twin Cities, Minnesota.
The full sign currently says, Bienvenido A La Casa De Los (of the)
House of the WHAT??? All will soon be revealed soon amigos, stay tuned!
I finished a new painting and... I'm not sure what to title it!
So I completed a new painting that is both old and new. The two panels on the left are 6.5 x 10” each. They were painted in 2020 during the thick of the pandemic. My family and I were stuck in our little NYC apartment back then, and at that time, it felt as though time had no meaning. Tick, tock, tick, tock. I would bring my daughter down to the basement to watch Yellow Submarine on DVD and try to escape the boredom… sort of. During the Sixty Four part of the film the animation counts down (or maybe up?) to 64 (around the 2:00 mark), so these two paintings were taken directly from that sequence. It was just something I wanted to paint at that time; I had no restraints. I just enjoyed the process.
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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 mural up at Las Estrellas Duel Language Elementary School - NE Minneapolis
I just finished a new mural at Las Estrellas Dual Language School in Northeast Minneapolis, MN. The piece was painted outside on a brick wall on the east side of the gym near the playground area. It features five dancing, starlike figures painted in the school’s brand color palette with English/Spanish surrounding the shapes. The colors used and their meaning are mirrored in the text...
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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!!
Hotdog Magnet; 5” diameter, acrylic paint on masonite, 2 magnets on back
New hand painted magnets for sale at I-Like_You-MN!
New HOTDOG and MILK magnets heading off to I-Like-You-MN this week for purchase!
- Just in time for the Minnesota State Fair, what better way to celebrate the dog days of summer than with a steaming hotdog, washed down with a cool glass of milk! Mmmmmmm
Give yourself over to absolute pleasure: hand-painted magnets created by a high-minded artist for your visual satisfaction. Click link for more info…
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More ALIVE and WHY? signs for sale at my local consignment shop: I-LIKE-YOU-MN →
One-of-a-kind refrigerator magnets are heading out to my local consignment shop this week for purchase! Inspired by the circus banner artwork of Fred G. Johnson, these 5" diameter, hand-painted pieces are the creme de la creme of circus gifts! Now, when you hang your family photo’s you can subtly ask, WHY? Or better yet, remind everyone that they are ALIVE! Get yours today!!
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New hand painted magnet signs are now at I-LIKE-YOU-MN →
Brand new refrigerator magnets are now for sale at I-Like-You-MN in NE Minneapolis! Inspired by the circus banner artwork of Fred G. Johnson, these 5" diameter, hand-painted pieces are the creme-de-la-creme of circus gifts! Why bother decorating your fridge with boring magnets when you can hang those photos up with a piece of art! Let the world know that that picture of your Uncle Benny is 'ALIVE,' or better yet, why not ask, 'WHY?'…
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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 'DRINKS' signs for sale @ I-Like-You-MN
New hand-painted 'DRINKS' signs are now available at my local consignment shop in Minneapolis, MN.
Four pieces total - 15" and 16" diameter, 1/2" thick, acrylic paint on MDF. Inspired by the circus banner art of Fred G. Johnson. Get your DRINK on with a custom painted sign... LIVE!!!
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