Lake County Fair Memories!

Never before has glitter be used so aptly and wisely then when chosen to letter, "Artificial Insemination of Swine"!

After all, bacon doesn't just make itself!
And even in artificial insemination, it's not the meat, it's the motion.

FANCYPANTS!

At the Lake County Fair I was struck by the poster for the film "Fancypants." First I was intrigued that my nickname was now the name of a film, and then, by the fact that it starred wrestling and "They Live" superstar Rowdy Roddy Piper. The 40 folding chair section of the exhibition hall seemed to be an inauspicious opening for a movie with actual recognizable actors, (hello Robert Carradine as "Allen") but a later check on imdb showed that it actual already had a release. In September 2011 in one theatre grossing $4,962. Good News/Bad News, the screenings are free, which won't help the producers put a dent in the 1,2000,000 budget.

The Lake County Fair Art Contest Winners (according to me)!

If you weren't able to make the 4-H exhibit hall at the 84th annual Lake County Fair, let me point out a few of the highlights …for you!

 I'm not sure if it's an ironic postmodernism

commentary on the human condition to leave the display instructions on this bubble wrap sculpture, or just someone forgot to take the directions off.

 At first I scoffed at this piece of "art" consisting of attaching a batch of clips together.

But I just found out it sold for $12,000,000 at Sotheby's over the weekend.

Who has egg on their face now?!

 The "cut out" feel of this art reminded me of a film called "The House That Screamed" about a young man who tried to make "a perfect woman" out of the pieces of many women.

I'd suggest getting a search warrent.

 Supreme Pop Art or an artist with very specific intrests?

You decide!

God Bless America!
The United States are extra sweet when a tribute of the Washington Monument is constructed solely out of sugar covered cereal.
Give this one a Blue Ribbon, or get the Hell out of my country!

The clues of a potential mass murderer.

 "Bizzare"

'nuff said!

This one holds a special place in my heart, probably because I see so much of myself in this artist!

A Doodle A Day!

A Doodle A Day!

A Doodle A Day!

If US magazine says so...

On Newsstands Now!
a) I'm more that just incredibly sexy, and
b) Only #37?!! Really?!!

For a better view…http://mitchoconnell.blogspot.com/2011/09/im-famous.html

A Doodle A Day!

A Doodle A Day!

Vote For Tobias!

Kids are never more ecstatic than when wearing a M.O'C designed political t-shirt!

And check out why his parents are making the wise choice to vote for Tobias @ http://www.tobiasforcongress.com

Roy and Mitch, BFF!

When The Masters of Art cross paths (that would be Roy Lichtenstein and myself)!
I sent Roy a copy of my first book and his assistant mailed me back a very nice "thank-you" postcard. It turns out she had also purchased the book from me previously. Sadly, she didn't pass along anything Mr. Lichtenstein might have said, 'cause I would have done my damnedest to spin it into some type of favorable quote that I would have milked 'til the end of time!

Young Art Lovers!

As we arrived at the Art Institute yesterday, I looked down at my beautiful daughters face and noticed it was bare.

I helpfully inquired, "We go to an Art Museum and you forget to bring your glasses! What is wrong with you?!"

She let out a loud exasperated sigh that implied that that was the stupidest thing she had heard all day followed by the well reasoned response, "I'm not going to be looking at anything!"

Everyone Loves Skittles!

Working on a mass mailing of my business cards to "soon to be thrilled" art directors across the country, a task made much easier by personal assistant Skittles, the cat with the forever hanging tongue.

Hot Stuff!

Rare Harvey Comics model sheet.
I've been drawing them ALL WRONG!

Let's All Go To The Lobby!

I drove a 2002 Lexus full of kids to the Cascade Drive-In ($45. My advice? Wait for Tuesdays when a carload is $15) to see Spider-Man. Well, I only actually "saw" about half of the movie due to the thunderstorms that rolled in about 10 minutes after the movie started. That's great news if you're on a date, but I was busy being Dad, Uncle and neighbor. Anyway, the most exciting thing about putting up with the downpour were the exciting displays of lightening that I had never before observed. Most shot directly across the sky, parallel to the horizon, but a few were like a 4th of July night at Solider Field. I was unable to capture them on film (I found that my shutter finger isn't quite lightening fast) but I do know how to move the Photoshop pen tool around to recreate the experience ...for you!

Roy Lichtenstein! Marvel or Menace?

Took the whole family to the Art Institute to enjoy the Roy Lichtenstein exhibit (among other things) and had a great afternoon wandering the impressive museum.
I've always enjoyed Lichtenstein's work, probably because it was so relatable when I saw them first as a child, but was soured by the curators attempt to be so heavily handed dismissive of his source material, the actual comic panels he based his most famous and impressive paintings on. These are beautiful original panels, that I'm sure he was impressed by when choosing them, but the accompanying narrative posted by the hanging Pop Art copies calls them "banal" and "commonplace."
Wouldn't it to be easier to give credit where credit is due than claiming that only by Roy's grace they were transformed into actual art? The link below shows many "before and after" examples and, in my opinion, the reference usually shows a better understanding of what there're illustrating than the often "off" interpretations that sometimes don't seem to grasp what the reasoning is behind any line placement.
I can't believe Roy himself would be so arrogant and condescending. If it were so easy, why didn't he just make up his own art? Of course I'm holding him to the high standard he's been lifted to in the art world with his paintings selling for millions and the interest in keeping the bounty reaped from the Lichtenstein industry, the touring art show, the books and the merchandising from mugs to calendars going full steam.
When you're standing on someone elses shoulders, it's just plain bad manners to pee on them too.
http://davidbarsalou.homestead.com/LICHTENSTEINPROJECT.html

Ghoul Power is back in Cleveland!

JUST ANNOUNCED! LATE BREAKING NEWS! 

THE GHOUL HIMSELF WILL BE AT THE KOLLECTIVE GALLERY OPENING NIGHT!

Scratch Glass! Climb Walls! Stay Sick! Turn Blue!
For me it was always a thrill staying up to the wee hours growing up in Michigan to watch tv horror host The Ghoul! The idea of having a Ghoul inspired art show love-fest has been brewing around in my head for years, and now with Andrea Thornton of Kollective Gallery, it's going to be a reality!
The Kollective Gallery gathers the greatest artists in the land to pay tribute to the most explosive, wise cracking, Cheez Whiz smearing, Froggy bashing tv horror host of all time, The Ghoul!
Beloved by every bleary eyed kid staying up past midnight in Detroit and Cleveland in the '70s and '80s, and now enjoyed worldwide on TheGhoul.com and TheGhoul.net!
Stop on by opening night Saturday September 8th at 6pm 'til the wee hours for what is sure to be the biggest event in Cleveland history!
The Kollective Gallery, 1908 S. Taylor St,. Cleveland Ohio 44118 1-216-862-0799 kollectivegallery.com
Keep up to date at the Facebook Event page! http://www.facebook.com/events/364096523659704

Plus! Just added!
If you thought the "Ghoul Power!" show at the Kollective Gallery art show couldn't get any better, hold onto your magic twanger!
For one night only, the hottest and most acclaimed burlesque entertainers of Ohio have banded together to form a new supergroup in tribute to The Ghoul, THE GHOUL GIRLS!
Twiggy Stardust! Aurora Sans! Constantinople! and Carmen Monoxide! Separately they're on fire, together, they're EXPLOSIVE!
When they perform opening night, prepare to be like Froggy and a lit M-80.
You'll be blown away!

Are you a diehard Ghoul fan and artistic genius? Contact me, (Mitch) to see if we can still squeeze your painting on the Kollective Gallery walls! 

From the famous Mitch O'Connell collection archives, a glimpse into Ghoul history. Enjoy!

 This signed Ghoul standee was a gift from the late great Ed Wille- right hand man to The Ghoul, superstar musician, promoter of shlock cinema, dad and husband (and I'm sure his friends could easily add a few hundred more qualities/achievements to that list)!

Pluck your magic twanger Froggy!

 Skittles tries not to make eye contact.

"Hiya Gang, Hiya, Hiya! ...I said, HIYA GANG, HIYA, HIYA!!"

 Ghoul postcards, front and back…

My F.R.O.G. membership letter!

And now, the card itself (a hush falls upon the masses)!

 Don't be hatin' 'cause I got all the good stuff!

The first page of the second issue of GhoulPardi, the official Ghoul fanzine. I'd post the whole thing, but I think the combination of a 'lil jpeg and being it's handwritten, would be just way too much eyestrain for the average human.

Put your nose right up to the screen for some good reading!

If anyone knows Joel "Mouse" Wilhelm and/or Dave Ivey, both actual real life artists for The Ghoul Show, please pass along news of the Ghoul Power! event of the century, I'd love to have them be part of it (even if they just stop by for the free wine and cheese)!

Good Morning!
Stock up on essential Ghoul mugs @http://www.theghoul.com/

index2.html

Milan Kecman, the artist of the most iconic Ghoul image of all time IS IN!
He'll be looking for actual vintage Ghoul art from the show and doing his damndest to work up a new piece!
Trumpets blare! Angels sing!

If you want to be cool and cover yourself head to toe in Ghoul merchandise visit-
http://www.theghoul.com/

index2.html
You could even add some M.O'C Ghoul stickers to your cart!

Press photo from the Detroit Free Press... 

 And the back of the press photo from the Detroit Free Press...

 Press photo from?

And the back of the press photo from?

Postcards!

 Postcards!

The show art is arriving!It's raining masterpieces!!!!!!!!!
Artist Mike Mass has "10," "10," "10" and "10" from the judges!

The amazing Dave Talsma has knocked my socks off with this Boffo-Socko Ghoul masterpiece!
Because Dave is the first one to send me an image for the "Ghoul Power" show- he has been given the right to cut to the head of the beer/wine line all opening night!

It seems the "Ghoul Power" artists, including Mark Hammermeister, weren't taught the basic rules of etiquette. No one should be so rude as to do a better painting than the host, Mitch O'Connell.
I hope you are all properly ashamed of yourselves!

OMG!
The Ghoul Power show continues to inspire the most talented artists on Earth to untold creative heights!
Betsy Brelinski makes those colored pencils perform magic!

Johnny Mafrici will be letting us hang his Ghoul Power piece at the Kollective Gallery titled, "OH BOY! Ya warmed me up real good," before it goes to it's permanent home at the Smithsonian!

I have just put the finishing touches on a 3 by 4 foot, cradled wood, 3" thick, 40 pound painting, and framed it in 4000, that's FOUR THOUSAND, DEADLY, LOUD, EXPLOSIVE. MINI STICKS OF DYNAMITE (aka firecrackers). At some point opening night, I hope The Ghoul will do me the honor of lighting the fuse to blow this piece to Kingdom Come!
Let me explain, in laymen's terms, what the earth shattering de

vastation of 4000 firecrackers really means.
Say you had one firecracker. Now times that by 4000. That's how many I have wrapped around this piece of art. Or think of it this way, if you had 3,999 firecrackers, and someone gave you another firecracker, you would have 4000 firecrackers.
Have I just blown your mind?!
DUCK AND COVER BABY!!!

Holy S*****************T!
This show just keeps getting better and better!
Monique K. Given proves that it's ALWAYS Froggy time with this work of genius!

Big Toe has added a 'lil (aka "a lot") of sex appeal to the "Ghoul Power" show with this stunning busty coffin lid creation!
God Bless Big Toe!

AND MORE!
To quote Mark Thompson-
"A quickie for the
GHOUL SHOW, This SAT> Cleveland OH
You'll know me by my shirt!
NUFF SAID"

Another masterpiece..
Dashing Doug P'Gosh is quite annoying because he's much too talented. I prefer that patrons only praise MY art at gallery openings!

A few lingering pics…
The great James Harmon contributes this explosive piece…