Interview With an Artist: Casey O'Connell

I'd like to introduce a friend of mine, who is an extremely talented artist. Her name is Casey O'Connell. She's a surfer, and has an adorable little cat named Maddie. I did a post on her last year, after I had gone to see her solo art show in Chelsea, NYC. She's brilliant, and graciously agreed to answer a few interview questions for us!

Image by Casey O'Connell

A little about how I know her, first. I met her when she lived in San Francisco, and I lived in Fremont. She had met my sister at an art show she was doing in Los Angeles, and my sister thought I'd love her. She made the introduction via exchanging our phone numbers, and so our first meeting was on the phone. We ended up talking for about an hour, which is a long time for me to be on the phone. You'd be surprised if you knew me!


Then Casey came to visit me one day, with a painting in tow (see below) that I had commissioned from her after that initial phone call. (It hangs in my living room today. I love it so.) We hung out in my back yard, and talked and drank coffee together. These little moments with her were always fun and full of inspiration for me!

Photo by me

I commissioned two other paintings from her since then. One was for my best friend, and hangs in her home. The other was for me, and is in the music room... and you can see the inspiration for it was the Victorian tub that sat in my backyard in Fremont. It made this particular painting very special for me.

Photo by me

When I drove across the country from California to Pennsylvania, one of my few stops was to Florida, to see Casey. She's one of the most creative and vibrant people I know, with her toothy smile and exuberant personality, and I love her dearly. I asked her some questions about her work as an artist. Here is our little interview...



Where do you find your inspiration for your paintings? 
Most of my paintings are based on my day to day existence.  I get a ton of inspiration from fleeting moments.  The split seconds I am fully present before my mind races off again.  

Image by Casey

Could you describe the process?  
My process is pretty darn messy.  I have had to explain to numerous landlords I am chasing thoughts and I simply don’t have time clean up the paint I spill on the carpet.  

Image by Casey

What do you do when you find yourself blocked creatively and you need to get your mojo back? 
First things first, I pout. I have myself a good ole fashioned pity party where I think about how talented and perfect everyone else is.  Then, I take a walk, get some coffee, people watch and wait as patiently as I can.

Do you have a favorite artist, and if so, who is it? 
David Hockney is my all time favorite.  His work makes me feel like I am included on an inside joke.  I also am a new fan of Rosson Crow.  Her paintings stir up so many emotions for me.  I am beyond impressed with their impact.


Thank you so much, Casey, for taking the time to answer these questions for me!


She has recently released two editions of giclée prints in her shop. This makes buying her artwork affordable and easy! Her paintings are huge, ha ha, and not easy to transport. You could probably tell from the photos I took at her NYC showing!


Take a look at her visual blog... you'll eventually see an old photo of me in my backyard in Fremont, standing next to the old claw-footed tub! She has some wonderful images in her blog, including a few of herself. Take a peek, and get inspired to create!


I hope you enjoyed getting to know a little about Casey. She's a real sweetheart, and I wish her the best with all her future endeavors! xox