Doreen O'Connor
Doreen O'Connor has lived in the Hudson Valley region almost her whole life and feels deeply connected to and inspired by the history and natural beauty of the area. Though her early years were in suburbia, her family purchased a farm in Dutchess County when she was nine years old. That farm and the surroundings became her muse.
Following the conventional wisdom of the 60s, Doreen pursued degrees in Art Education in order to be able to make a living from her art. After two years of teaching Junior High art, she went back to get a graduate degree only to find she had priced herself out of the market for art teachers. She worked as a substitute and continued to work in the historic house museum she had been working in while in graduate school. She stayed in the local history field for 20 years.
In 1990 Doreen started a decorative painting business doing faux finishes, murals, trompe l'oeil, etc. and never looked back. She found she was finally making a living from her art. "If it doesn't move, I have probably painted on it'' became her slogan.
Doreen moved back to the family farm after her father died in 2001 and lived there and cared for the place as she continued to do the decorative painting. As faux finishes were losing popularity and age was advancing, Doreen has been more involved in "fine art" work painting beloved old buildings, equipment and landscapes en plein air (outdoors).
Doreen is a member of ArtEast Open Studio Tour, Lower Hudson Valley Plein Air Painters and FrOGS, where she participates with other artists in paint outs and exhibits.
You can visit Ms. O'Connor online on her website at www.1doconnorwildflowers.com.
"Host of Golden Daffodils"
Acrylic on Panel
11" x 15"
$500
