Items Similar to Marimekko Ducks, Oil Canvas, American Art, Realism, Tchotskes Quirky Objects
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 10
MAUREEN O'CONNER Marimekko Ducks, Oil Canvas, American Art, Realism, Tchotskes Quirky Objects2015
2015
About the Item
Marimekko Ducks is 20 x 20 inches oil on canvas. .Maureen likes to use Marimekko fabrics in many of her paintings.
Randi Hopkins, former assistant curator at Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art, has called O’Connor “a masterful painter of some of our favorite things.”
A pair of ceramic ducks salt and pepper shakers, given to her by the Parisian mother of an old roommate, remains one of O’Connor’s favorite subjects. Other favored subjects include cookies, flowers, candies and a gumball machine, along with Boston landscapes, buildings and houses on streets. She often combines her subjects with patterned fabric she finds interesting.
O’Connor, who’s lived in Boston for the past 40 years, was born in upstate New York. Her family briefly moved to Massachusetts when O’Connor was 8 – the same time she began taking art classes at the Museum of Fine Arts.
“As a little kid, I was sort of weird and carried around my drawing books in the fourth grade. I’d carry them under my arms, walk around and have my little [artwork] collection,” said O’Connor, who took a liking to oil painting during her late teenage years.
O’Connor’s family moved to Burlington, Vermont for 10 years before O’Connor returned to Massachusetts at 18 for art school. O’Connor earned a bachelor’s of fine arts degree from Mass College of Art and a painting and printmaking diploma from the Boston Art Institute.
“When I was in college I did printmaking, but I realized when I got out of college I didn’t have enough money for the big press. Finally, oil painting is pretty inexpensive to do,” said O’Connor, who’s painted both in studios and outdoors.
She’s worked part-time at the Museum of Fine Arts since 1979 as a security specialist.
O’Connor has shared her artwork with others for the last 38 years. Her work’s been shown throughout the U.S. and is in the collections of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Fidelity Investments, Boston Medical Center and Biogen, IDEC and more. It is also included in the collection of Bruce Dayton, owner of Target and great benefactor at Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts, and Richard Miner, co founder of Android and partner at Google. Her artwork appeared in David Mamet’s film, “Lipservice,” an HBO production filmed in Boston.
What about drawing and painting has kept you doing it all these years?
I guess the discipline. I think people have their different ways of understanding the world and that’s my way of understanding – I like to draw and then at some point think about color. And then when I have a drawing I’m thinking, ‘Maybe it’d be better this way,’ so it just becomes a routine of discipline. And I’m just visually interested in things. Where if someone walks into a room and doesn’t notice anything, I’ll notice what’s on the wall. Even in movies, I’ll look at the artwork and what’s behind the actors – I’m just interested in the visual part of the world. And then I’m also responsive to it by drawing or painting.
How would you describe your artistic approach?
I’m a direct observation painter. These days a lot of people don’t do that. If I’m doing a still-life, which I’m doing a lot of these days, I set it up in front of me in a room with light coming in from the window, but I really do a lot of night painting. And then I paint directly; I’m trying to understand what’s in front of me. When I did landscapes in the wintertime, I’d have to stay inside.
What colors do you favor and why?
I guess you could say I have a lot more color in my paintings than others do. I love color and I love color theory and colors reflecting off other colors in the painting. I also love fabrics, really bold fabrics and there’s a lot of color often in bold fabrics. So you have to sort of balance the paintings with the quieter area and use the bold fabrics. Sometimes I combine two fabrics in a quieter painting. It’s just a constant dialogue going on.
Why do you illustrate reflections and shadows in your paintings?
I go by what’s there and what I’m using, and refining -- that is not always an easy process, but I’m trying to see what’s in front of me. I’m not a photographic painter, you know, an ultra realistic painter, but I use those elements to keep the painting interesting.
What are your plans moving forward with art?
I’m just continuing to work. I’m working on a gumball machine painting right now. I’m just getting more artwork out there and developing more.
- Creator:MAUREEN O'CONNER (American)
- Creation Year:2015
- Dimensions:Height: 20 in (50.8 cm)Width: 20 in (50.8 cm)Depth: 2 in (5.08 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement & Style:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Gallery Location:Houston, TX
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU140528738802
About the Seller
5.0
Gold Seller
These expertly vetted sellers are highly rated and consistently exceed customer expectations.
Established in 1970
1stDibs seller since 2020
118 sales on 1stDibs
Typical response time: <1 hour
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Houston, TX
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 3 days of delivery.
More From This SellerView All
- A Rose for My Faithful Fiend, Collage on Medal , 11 x 11, Blotter, Custom FrameBy Inez StorerLocated in Houston, TXA Rose for A Friend by Inez Storer is oil on medal with mixed media. It is 11 x 11 and mounted on a wooden display box so there i s no need for a fr...Category
Early 2000s Expressionist Still-life Paintings
MaterialsMetal
- Fuzzy, Oil Painting, Realism, Cuban Artist, Sheep, Framed, Free ShippingBy Cristian Mesa VelazquezLocated in Houston, TXImages may be seen better on a mobile device. FREE SHIPPING . Framed Size 15 x 15 Fuzzy is a new Manchega sheep painting by Cristian Mesa Velazquez. Fuzz...Category
2010s Realist Animal Paintings
MaterialsOil, Linen
- Candy Jar, Oil on Canvas, American Artist, Realism, Tchotskes AKA Quirky ObjectsBy MAUREEN O'CONNERLocated in Houston, TXBright whimsical colors are helping to dispel the grayness of the winter inside Acton Memorial Library’s meeting room, where Boston-based artist Maureen O’Connor’s 20 paintings are on display through February. Randi Hopkins, former assistant curator at Boston’s Institute of Contemporary Art, has called O’Connor “a masterful painter of some of our favorite things.” A pair of ceramic ducks...Category
2010s Realist Still-life Paintings
MaterialsOil
- Teapot & Oranges, Still-life, Italian artist, Florence, Realism, Oil Painting.By Barbara CastrucciLocated in Houston, TXTeapot and Oranges is an oil painting done in the style of Realism in the artist studio in Florence, Italy. It has a custom frame made in Florence by a master framer. Barbara Castru...Category
2010s Realist Still-life Paintings
MaterialsOil
- Turquoise, Style of Realism, Oil , Texas Artist, Women in the ArtsBy Helene RobinsonLocated in Houston, TXPainted by Texas artist Helene Robinson who has studied under great Texas painters. Artists is known for painting still-lifes in the style of Realism. Her subjects are usually fruit...Category
2010s Realist Still-life Paintings
MaterialsOil
- Italian Garden, Still-life, Italian artist, Florence, Realism, Oil Painting.By Barbara CastrucciLocated in Houston, TXItalian Garden is an oil painting done in the style of Realism in the artist studio in Florence, Italy. It has a custom frame made in Florence by a master framer. Barbara Castrucci...Category
2010s Realist Still-life Paintings
MaterialsOil
You May Also Like
- Aqua Bailer Shell - Single Bailer Sea Shell on Brown Table w/ Watered BackdropBy Helen OhLocated in Chicago, ILThe simplicity of "Aqua Bailer Shell" is deceptive. The upturned pale yellow shell has a beautiful light emanating from its center revealing the delicacy of the shell. It sits upon a deep, rich brown table with its reflection seen in the highly polished surface. The background is delicate aqua colored moiré pattern to give an even more opulent feel while adding to the meditative quality of the painting. The bailer shell can be found in Southeast Asia, from Burma, Thailand and Malaysia, to the South China Sea and the Philippines. This large, prehistoric sea snail shell could traditionally be used by native fishermen to bail out their leaking fishing vessels. This artwork is framed in a simple walnut frame measuring 25 x 25 inches. Helen Oh...Category
2010s Realist Still-life Paintings
MaterialsPanel, Oil
- Bailer Shell - Single Bailer Sea Shell on Brown Table w/ Green Watered BackdropBy Helen OhLocated in Chicago, ILThe simplicity of "Bailer Shell" is deceptive. The upturned pale yellow shell sits upon a deep, rich brown table. The shell's reflection is seen in the highly polished surface. The background is delicate green moiré pattern to give an even more opulent feel while adding to the meditative quality of the painting. This artwork is unframed. Please contact the gallery for framing options. Helen Oh...Category
2010s Realist Still-life Paintings
MaterialsPanel, Oil
- Still Life with Angel Wing Shells - Shell Collection w/ 23K Gold Leaf BackdropBy Helen OhLocated in Chicago, ILGorgeous hand applied 23K gold leaf warms the background of this still life. A collection of seashells are gathered in a silver basket and spill onto the rich, reflective table. This masterful painting by Helen Oh...Category
2010s Realist Still-life Paintings
MaterialsGold Leaf
- Dina Brodsky, Crane, realist oil on wax paper animal miniature, 2018By Dina BrodskyLocated in New York, NYIn her realist animal miniature, "Crane," Dina Brodsky uses oil paint on wax paper to capture the regal carriage of her avian subject. The staid blues and ivories of her palette enha...Category
2010s Realist Animal Paintings
MaterialsOil, Paper
- "Two Birds" Oil paintingBy Nick LeibeeLocated in Denver, CONick Leibee's (US based) "Two Birds" is an oil painting that depicts a red and yellow bird, both looing up, with a black backgroundCategory
2010s Realist Animal Paintings
MaterialsPanel, Oil
- Arrangement XVII, Realist Oil PaintingBy Zane YorkLocated in Chicago, ILZane York deftly walks the line between playfulness and profundity. Drawing inspiration from the inherent strangeness of the natural world, York imbues quotidian scenes with subtle e...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Realist Still-life Paintings
MaterialsOil, Canvas