Comments on: Mitch O'Connell's stupendously eldritch thrift store art collection http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Wed, 19 Jun 2013 14:18:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Itsumishi http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1608429 Itsumishi Sat, 15 Dec 2012 07:15:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1608429 The two naked ladies with cats faces growing from their hair are incredible. The two naked ladies with cats faces growing from their hair are incredible.

]]> By: Ken Williams http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1608405 Ken Williams Sat, 15 Dec 2012 05:49:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1608405 One of my favorite local artists (in Minneapolis) has voluntarily donated several of her works to the Museum of Bad Art.   One of my favorite local artists (in Minneapolis) has voluntarily donated several of her works to the Museum of Bad Art.  

]]> By: Spenardo http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1608168 Spenardo Sat, 15 Dec 2012 00:42:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1608168 The clown painting is by an artist named Leslie Emery. It's one in a series he was commissioned to do for a golf course bar in California. Prints of them show up frequently on eBay (three are available right now). He was better known for his non-clown portraits. He was also a WPA artist. One of my favorite possessions is a large original oil painting of his from the '50s that I've had for over 20 years. The clown painting is by an artist named Leslie Emery. It’s one in a series he was commissioned to do for a golf course bar in California. Prints of them show up frequently on eBay (three are available right now). He was better known for his non-clown portraits. He was also a WPA artist. One of my favorite possessions is a large original oil painting of his from the ’50s that I’ve had for over 20 years.

]]> By: princeminski http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1608078 princeminski Fri, 14 Dec 2012 23:07:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1608078 Superb connoisseurship. Superb connoisseurship.

]]> By: Dlo Burns http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1608075 Dlo Burns Fri, 14 Dec 2012 23:01:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1608075 Thank you, I knew she looked familiar Thank you, I knew she looked familiar

]]> By: Dlo Burns http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1608073 Dlo Burns Fri, 14 Dec 2012 22:59:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1608073 aka the Cinnabun eyes. aka the Cinnabun eyes.

]]> By: Dlo Burns http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1608044 Dlo Burns Fri, 14 Dec 2012 22:31:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1608044 Living in Las Vegas I was hoping to snag a Velvet Elvis but never found one. Weirdly you could find the mormon influence down there with temple paintings. Living in Las Vegas I was hoping to snag a Velvet Elvis but never found one. Weirdly you could find the mormon influence down there with temple paintings.

]]> By: RedShirt77 http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1607899 RedShirt77 Fri, 14 Dec 2012 20:38:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1607899  I think that guys face has the perfect, "why did I just do that to myself?" expression that we have all had at one point or another.   I think that guys face has the perfect, “why did I just do that to myself?” expression that we have all had at one point or another. 

]]> By: franko http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1607874 franko Fri, 14 Dec 2012 20:27:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1607874 right there with ya. i was thinking, "ok, politically he may drive me nuts, but who knew he was cool enough to be THAT into thrift store paintings?" right there with ya. i was thinking, “ok, politically he may drive me nuts, but who knew he was cool enough to be THAT into thrift store paintings?”

]]> By: chris jimson http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1607674 chris jimson Fri, 14 Dec 2012 19:11:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1607674 Millie Jackson "Feelin' Bitchy" http://www.amazon.com/Feelin-Bitchy-Millie-Jackson/dp/B000LPS3Z8 Millie Jackson “Feelin’ Bitchy”

http://www.amazon.com/Feelin-Bitchy-Millie-Jackson/dp/B000LPS3Z8

]]> By: agitprop http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1607641 agitprop Fri, 14 Dec 2012 18:59:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1607641 Most of these are actually quite good. I guess "bad" is a relative term. Most of these are actually quite good. I guess “bad” is a relative term.

]]> By: Boundegar http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1607522 Boundegar Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:58:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1607522 That's perfect, because it also covers 90% of my interests.  Sadly, most thrift store art is reproductions of the Impressionists and posters advertising long-gone museum shows.  Gems like these must be searched out. That’s perfect, because it also covers 90% of my interests.  Sadly, most thrift store art is reproductions of the Impressionists and posters advertising long-gone museum shows.  Gems like these must be searched out.

]]> By: Jim Saul http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1607504 Jim Saul Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:45:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1607504 I wonder if the country club valets are tipped anything extra for having to do the breathalyzer test to start all their cars for them. I wonder if the country club valets are tipped anything extra for having to do the breathalyzer test to start all their cars for them.

]]> By: Mark_Frauenfelder http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1607502 Mark_Frauenfelder Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:44:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1607502 He bought these paintings and they are hanging on his walls. I think he probably likes them a lot more than you do. He bought these paintings and they are hanging on his walls. I think he probably likes them a lot more than you do.

]]> By: Jon Bakos http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1607481 Jon Bakos Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:33:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1607481 Yep, got me too. Yep, got me too.

]]> By: axlrosen http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1607470 axlrosen Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:30:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1607470 Of course there's also the Museum of Bad Art in Boston: http://www.museumofbadart.org/ Of course there’s also the Museum of Bad Art in Boston: http://www.museumofbadart.org/

]]> By: Nylund http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1607465 Nylund Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:27:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1607465 Cats, clowns, and naked ladies.  That covers about 90% of the art there.  My question is, is that representative of the actual art found in the thrift stores, or  does it just reflect the tastes of the collector? Cats, clowns, and naked ladies.  That covers about 90% of the art there.  My question is, is that representative of the actual art found in the thrift stores, or  does it just reflect the tastes of the collector?

]]> By: Richard Lindsay http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1607417 Richard Lindsay Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:08:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1607417 For an (admittedly talented) artist whose whole career was started by some carefully studied, cloying and derivative pop culture memes, it sort of seems grating and condescending to see him display other people's 'bad art' attempts. Maybe it's just me.  For an (admittedly talented) artist whose whole career was started by some carefully studied, cloying and derivative pop culture memes, it sort of seems grating and condescending to see him display other people’s ‘bad art’ attempts.
Maybe it’s just me. 

]]> By: SedanChair http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1607418 SedanChair Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:08:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1607418 That third painting is my enemy. That third painting is my enemy.

]]> By: orwell http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1607412 orwell Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:07:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1607412 could we see more and offer up a "naming/title," contest?   could we see more and offer up a “naming/title,” contest?  

]]> By: nixiebunny http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1607413 nixiebunny Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:07:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1607413 We have an actual book called "Thrift Store Paintings" that features over 100 of these treasures. Came from Powell's used; seriously out of print. Some decades ago, one of our friends kept commenting on a seriously bad painting that he called "the green Arab" that hung on the wall behind the counter of the local Value Village with an absurd $80 price tag. He kept at it so long that we finally took up a collection among ourselves and bought it for him for his birthday.  We have an actual book called “Thrift Store Paintings” that features over 100 of these treasures. Came from Powell’s used; seriously out of print.

Some decades ago, one of our friends kept commenting on a seriously bad painting that he called “the green Arab” that hung on the wall behind the counter of the local Value Village with an absurd $80 price tag. He kept at it so long that we finally took up a collection among ourselves and bought it for him for his birthday. 

]]> By: Christopher http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1607410 Christopher Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:06:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1607410 Or at the very least golf course bathrooms. They could replace the "Charged with a DUI? Call our law firm and we'll have you out by happy hour" advertising that currently hangs over the urinals. (I'm sorry to say I'm not making that up.) Or at the very least golf course bathrooms. They could replace the “Charged with a DUI? Call our law firm and we’ll have you out by happy hour” advertising that currently hangs over the urinals.

(I’m sorry to say I’m not making that up.)

]]> By: Christopher http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1607411 Christopher Fri, 14 Dec 2012 17:06:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1607411 Had the same moment. Loved you in Stanley Kubrick's "Lolita", by the way. Had the same moment. Loved you in Stanley Kubrick’s “Lolita”, by the way.

]]> By: orwell http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1607394 orwell Fri, 14 Dec 2012 16:59:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1607394 soon to be a traveling art show viewable at your local gas station bathroom... soon to be a traveling art show viewable at your local gas station bathroom…

]]> By: sdmikev http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1607383 sdmikev Fri, 14 Dec 2012 16:50:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1607383 This collection is amazing.  I can't tell if it's the sum total that make it awesome, or if the majority of the paintings are just plain great in their own way.  Maybe a combination of the two. This collection is amazing.  I can’t tell if it’s the sum total that make it awesome, or if the majority of the paintings are just plain great in their own way.  Maybe a combination of the two.

]]> By: Jason Weisberger http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1607349 Jason Weisberger Fri, 14 Dec 2012 16:36:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1607349 Had the same moment. Had the same moment.

]]> By: James Mason http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1607340 James Mason Fri, 14 Dec 2012 16:32:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1607340 For a minute I thought it was Mitch McConnell.  Serious WTF moment. For a minute I thought it was Mitch McConnell.  Serious WTF moment.

]]> By: RedShirt77 http://boingboing.net/2012/12/14/mitch-oconnells-stupendous.html#comment-1607323 RedShirt77 Fri, 14 Dec 2012 16:27:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=200512#comment-1607323 Talk to a lawyer about making prints of that third one.  That should be required decor in all golf course bars. Talk to a lawyer about making prints of that third one.  That should be required decor in all golf course bars.

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