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| NIU Art Museum news! The Olson Gallery earned a Superior Achievement Award for "Inked" the exhibition and an Award of Excellence for "Inked" the catalog! Hmmmmmm. I wonder why? Oh! I'm MUCH too modest to say! Order your own catalog at- http://mitchoconnell.blogspot.com/2011/10/inked-exhibition-catalog.html |
To learn more about the man, the myth, the legend, visit www.mitchoconnell.com today!
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Another Award for the Trophy Room!
Simply Sweetness!
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| Thanks to Brett Strong for commissioning a painting of his lovely daughter surrounded by some of her favorite things. It's easy to hire me. You ask me to paint something. I say I'll get to it right away. You listen to 8 months of excuses why it's taking so long (many of them true). As soon as you've forgotten that you've ever asked me in the first place, it's done! |
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Goodwill Painting Bought for $29.99 Auctioned for $5.79
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| Beth Feeback had a disappointing weekend. The North Carolina woman who bought a painting for $29.99 from a Goodwill store sale saw it sell for less than $6.00 at a Sotheby’s auction. “It’s not much of a return on $29.99,” Feeback fumed Sunday night. The sale price listed on the Sotheby’s website, $5.79, reflects the final gavel price plus a premium the buyer must pay, she explained. The painting had been expected to sell for between $150 to $250. Feeback of Concord bought the painting, “Clown Girl" by artist Mitch O'Connell, in April. She wasn’t attracted to the style at all, but she wanted to re-use the canvas to paint cat portraits, which are her specialty. A friend cautioned her to check out the labels on the painting before she put paintbrush to canvas, and after a few months during which the painting languished on the floor of her art studio, she did. Now, Feeback still has a no appreciation for O'Connell and his work. “The first time I Googled that artist’s name, I was like, ‘This is the most beautiful damned painting I’ve ever seen in my life,’” she said, tongue in cheek. The auction took place Friday, and Feeback gathered family and friends from a viewing party online. She was nervous at first. “I like to set my expectations low because … Murphy’s Law is my religion and I was just afraid that it wouldn’t sell at all … ,” she said. As she and the others gathered at her home watched the auction, she added, “we could see that some of the paintings sold for much more [than] the value that the auction house had put on them and some sold for much less and an uncomfortable number of them did not sell at all, so that’s how come I was concerned.” Feeback doesn’t know who the buyer was, but, she said, “They owe $25 so I can at least break even!" Asked about her plans due to the pitiful sale price, Feeback said she and her husband plan to go without their prescription medications to cover the loss. |
Aluminum Foil is Awesome!
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| How to increase sales for your product? Figure out as many possible uses for it as possible! The aluminum foil folks put out out book after book in the 50s, 60s and 70s about a new exciting decorating breakthrough- cover everything you own in sheets and sheets of aluminum foil! This example, "Alcoa's Book of Decorations" has ideas for every holiday and party occasion with pages of intricate instructions about how to make these objet d' art. But I'll make it easy for you. Take a box, cone, tube, pet or sleeping Grandma. Get your roll of aluminum foil. Wrap 'em up. Glue on google eyes. Done! |
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| In my humble opinion- having kids myself- DON'T make your son wear an aluminum foil pigtail hat with bows. Nothing good can come of it. |
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| For Fathers Day- Hey Kids! WOW! Thanks for putting a bunch of crap on a broom! This is the best Fathers Day EVER! |
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| See how happy you'll be?! |
Monday, September 24, 2012
Rest Easy!
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| Finally! The solution to being killed in your old-fashioned immobile sleeping bag has been found! http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=GRJWz8QO8ag http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wCi-OUHwaY0 http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=6yU6SBMWO6Y |
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Sports Fan!
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| I was walking with my daughter at the mall when she saw a Celtics t-shirt. "You should get this! It would look good on you!" "Huh? Why?" I asked. "Then you would be like other dads!" Yes, I may not be just like some other dads, but there are sports I like... |
Thursday, September 20, 2012
For All Your Gig Poster Needs!
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| My kids took a screen printing class at Chicago's FugScreen Studios. While sitting around watching I noticed that most of the prints they produced were using existing imagery. A click went off in my noggin. Why not have my art on these too (I often have the feeling that my art should be on everything)? I floated the idea to Zissou (head honcho) and ended off dropping off a disc with hundreds of beautiful M.O'C doodles for him to do whatever he felt like with (in exchange for a % of the print run). So, if you want a gig poster with my art, check 'em out at- http://fugscreens.com/ |
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Monday, September 17, 2012
The M.O'C Book Club!
There are at least two ways to go with this tasty tome (with all due respect to the Bossman of buckets of greasy goodness)-
a) The editor might have mentioned that the combo platter of "finger lickin' good" and "children" on the cover was a menu "don't", or
b) The Man in White might have gone all Soylent Green and is giving a clue to one of the secret ingredients.
Skittles The Cat is Where It's At!
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| A possible internet posting juggernaut created by Kieran and Skittles! |
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Don't Judge Me!
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| Wha?! How DARE you assume that I'm viewing pornography! I'm furthering my education.
A snapshot from Chicago City News.
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Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Monday, September 10, 2012
"Ghoul Power"! The Greatest Art Event of ALL TIME!
I have been thrilled and honored to have been part of Clevelands Kollective Gallery Ghoul Power show! An amazing artistic tribute to the Horror Host with the Most, the Prince of Parma, the Best Man of Boffo-Socko, the Duke of Detroit, the Czar of Cleveland, the King of Kielbasa, the Master of M-80s and now, the #1 Fright-wigged patron of Fine Art!
If you don't know The Ghoul is, see him through the eyes of an almost teen Mitch, who is staying up past midnight, lying in bed, in a darkened room with only the glow from his small b&w portable tv (an actual coat hanger is the antenna) resting on the chair pulled up beside him, watching some horror/sci-fi/just plain weird (it didn't matter) movie just to see what The Ghoul had done with it. New music cues would be dropped over the credits and throughout the film, along with inappropriate goofy sound effects, but the highlight would be actual The Ghoul segments where he'd hilariously read viewer mail, blow up Froggie (his nemesis, a rubber toy frog), blow up monster model kits and blow up ...well, pretty much blow up anything he could attach a M-80 to, do parodies of television shows, skits, make fun of the station he was on and everyone on it, all the while just cleverly (and very humorously) improvising away.
Once my dad walked in to see "what it was all about" and watched about 10 minutes with me. I wasn't thrilled that he had entered the realm of my late-night private clubhouse, but the intrusion didn't last long, 'cause after only about 10 minutes he stood up and declared, "I don't get it!" and departed.
The Ghoul has been making UHF viewing must-see on and off through the 70s to the 90s as he bounced from station to station and dealt with different syndication deals, but everyone that's watched him will always have his antics seared in their brains (btw, this isn't a memorial, he's still going full throttle, just let me continue the story)!
During the opening night of my show a couple months back at Kollective gallery I asked Andrea if she'd let me put together a Ghoul inspired show. It turns out September was open, so if I could get it all together in 8 weeks...
Luckily, lots of artists love The Ghoul as much as I do and, once the word got out, they started creating away (and creating out masterpieces to boot!). Now that's all well and good, but anyone can hang art on a wall and invite people to stare, but I'm going for "Event" as in "Art Happening" as in "the most important thing that will ever happen in anyones life, from the beginning of time until the Sun explodes."
To start, I hinted to Cleveland burlesque star Twiggy Stardust that, "Wouldn't it be neat if someone did something a little Ghoul related dance routine at the show? Gee, can you think of
anyone...?" She took the hint and rounded up the equally enthusiastic (and talented) stars Constantinople, Carmen M'Knoxide and Aurora Sans who, together, became "The Ghoul Girls"! I also thought I'd do a nod to the explosive highlights of The Ghoul Show, and frame my piece in 4000 firecrackers (and filled the back of the wood cradled frame with even more fireworks). Now who would be the ideal person to light the fuse? Who would... (Imagine me scratching my chin while pondering. HEY! Stop imaging me nude! I'm fully clothed you sex maniacs!) ?
In the back of my mind, of course, I hoped The Ghoul himself would attend. That was the whole reason to find a gallery in Cleveland. I wanted it right in his back yard.
I wasn't getting any responses though whatever emails I could find that may or may not have been reaching the eyes of The Man himself, but luckily friend Natalie Wille is also long time pals with Mr. and Mrs. Ghoul, and put in a kind word for me ("He's not THAT bad") and made my Christmas in September come true! Now, with number in hand, I used my shaking finger to dial the actual Ghoul household. I started jabbering away as soon as Mrs. Ghoul picked up the phone, gushing and tripping over my tongue with my voice reverting to the age of 13 (Think back to the "very special" episode of The Brady Bunch when Peter went through the change. Y'Know, I really don't care if only 3 people get the reference!). After (I'm guessing) holding the receiver away from her ear for a few minutes, she calmly brought it back and told me to "take a deep breath and start over." I think this is a common situation The Ghoul household has to deal with.
This all lead up to Opening Night. Which was amazing. And perfect. And awesome.
The Ghoul was adored by all. And he seemed to be having a great time too! The largest crowd in Kollective Gallery history jammed themselves in the front door to chat and share stories and sing praises to our honoree. He was as fun, kind, energetic, gracious and charming as anyone could be and was happy to get in conversations with everyone that came up to him.
When all the topics revolve around how great you are, I don't blame him!
Along with the childhood memory folks like myself, I was hearing of the real deep impact he's made in peoples lives, from a woman who was suffering from cancer and watching his show was one of the few reliefs that helped her make it though, to soldiers that got their families to ship Ghoul Show tapes overseas for the enjoyment of our troops.
The Ghoul had a stack of photos that he'd autograph and hand out, sign prized items that fans brought and also sign the art (at the artists request) that was hanging on the walls. He even signed an in progress Ghoul tattoo on John Wise that Sean Kelly inked over to make the tattoo complete!
So, thanks from me, and everyone who was happy to be a part of the fun, to The Ghoul, for making this just about the most important thing that will ever happen in anyones life, from the beginning of time until the Sun explodes.
See MORE pics at-
And enjoy The Ghoul at-
