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…

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…

‘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…

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…

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!

Welcome hand painted on a yellow piece of wood.

New sign painting - Welcome, Welcome

May 1, 2025

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…

New sign painting - Man-Made Monster

April 30, 2025

New sign painting on a scrap piece of masonite. "Man-Made Monster", acrylic paint, 10.5 x 12". Inspired by the movie poster for the 1941 horror-sci-fi classic, starring Lionel Atwill, Anne Nagel, and Lon Chaney Jr.

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…

I finished a new painting and... I'm not sure what to title it!

November 18, 2024

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.

hand painted hotdog sign with red and blue letters

Finished a new hotdog sign for collector in PA

October 28, 2024

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!

Colorful dancing figures painted on a brick wall with text

New mural up at Las Estrellas Duel Language Elementary School - NE Minneapolis

October 9, 2024

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...

"Cold Beer" Signs for sale @ I-Like-You-MN

February 8, 2024

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.

Person holding a paper sign that says 'Cotton Candy,' in pink and yellow colors

New Cotton Candy Sign

January 22, 2024

New Fairground Food sign is finished!

'Cotton Candy 2' 18.75 x 26.25", acrylic paint on paper. Inspired by a food vendor at last year's Minnesota State Fair who sold... you guessed it, Cotton Candy!!

'Cotton candy, also known as candy floss and fairy floss, is a spun sugar confection that resembles cotton. It usually contains small amounts of flavoring or….

New Sign Painting up for purchase

July 12, 2023

New sign painting on plywood, “EAT IT,” 11 x 22”, enamel + acrylic paint. Inspired by the cookbook, ‘EAT IT’ by Dana Crumb and Shery Cohen, illustrated by Robert Crumb. Have you considered some excellent signage for your kitchen or home? If you’re interested in purchasing this fine sign, the price is…

New sign painting for purchase

June 25, 2023

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…

Some new sign painting in the oven... figuratively speaking.

June 20, 2023

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…

New magnet signs for your refrigerator

April 26, 2023

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!

New sign painting and mural at Las Estrellas Dual Language School - NE Minneapolis, MN

April 1, 2023

New sign painting up for Las Estrellas Dual Language School in NE Minneapolis.

Las Estrellas is in the process of incorporating its mascot (the owl) into its hallways to connect with students and build its identity. The mascot uses dual text to help the children with comprehension and enhance their cognitive skills. This particular mural was painted above the stairwell in front of the entrance to their art classroom and gymnasium. Salud, Health - Arte, Art - Educacion Fisica, Physical Education. The mural took about two days to complete.

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