Joseph W. O’Brien

Joe O’Brien was born and lived in New York City. After military service in World War II he devoted his life to painting. His early art quickly developed into acrylic painting on wood panels, heavy paper and eventually Asian rice paper. By 1960 he began creating his Paint Poems giving visual interpretation to quotations taken from his extensive reading. He took quotes from Hindu, Chinese and Greek philosophy, Jewish, Christian and Muslim beliefs, folk wisdom and contemporary comments, sometimes private, sometimes witty, of artists, writers and celebrities. He sent his Paint Poems to China where they were mounted on square and vertical scrolls, some six by three feet in size. Joe showed in New York galleries in the 1970s through the 90s as well as in Woodstock, New York where he and his wife spent summers. A small number of Joe’s extensive Paint Poems are shown here including some that were mounted onto scrolls. For further information or to purchase a Paint Poem please contact Len Gerwick