We recently had the opportunity to talk with local artist Naomi O’Connell over Sichuan Soup Dumplings at Red Pepper Bistro in downtown Towson. Over the past few years, Naomi’s artistic fingerprints have turned up at numerous high-profile locations throughout the downtown district.
As someone who was born and raised in Essex, how did Towson’s public art initiative end up launching your career?
Both communities played an important role in launching my journey as a commercial artist. When I attended the dedication of the new Essex Obelisk, I met Deirdre Aikin. She was the project manager for the effort and the creative force behind Towson’s public art initiative. She was very gracious and supportive of my talent and invited me to be one of the artists participating in Towson’s painted flower box initiative. Things just grew from there.
Himilayan Flower Box in front of Coffee Talk Cafe
What other Towson opportunities came from this chance meeting with Deidre?
Well, I was able to do several painted boxes. I think my favorite is the Himalayan themed box in front of the Coffee Talk Café. The café is one of the social hearts of Towson and I’m happy that my artwork is part of that positive vibe. I’m also proud to have been commissioned to complete two projects with strong Towson ties. I restored the welcoming sign for Historic East Towson and just last year, did the F. Scott Fitzgerald tribute mural on the facade of Bread and Circuses.
F. Scott Fitzgerald Tribute Mural at Bread and Circus
So we know that you’ve also made an artistic impact in your home community. Tell us what’s going on in Essex.
As much as I love and appreciate my Towson opportunities, there’s nothing like putting my art on the streets of the community I grew up in. I’ve been commissioned to paint 12 concrete flower boxes along Eastern Ave. The boxes, whose size and materials will present a whole new set of design and implementation challenges, will feature themes celebrating the history and people of the Essex community. I love it!
The Great Wave Flower Box
So who are your influences? Who inspired your talent?
An easy question. My biggest influence and biggest supporter has been my father. He’s always been there to build my confidence and give me direction.
Have you explored working in other mediums or do you just create with a brush?
I’ve created several handmade books, so I’ve worked in leather, wood, and paper. It's a labor of love because each book takes about 3 days to produce. I guess somewhere in my DNA there’s the blood of some ancient Irish monk that slaved making medieval manuscripts after the fall of Rome (laughs).
Handmade Wooden Book Cover
When you’re up on the scaffold or in the studio and you’re in that creative groove, what do you listen to? Who’s on your playlist?
I’ve usually have something from the 1950’s to the present, but my “go-to” stuff is heavy metal. I love Beast In Black, Sleep Token, and Serenity.
As a successful commercial artist, what’s your business philosophy? What do you want potential clients to know?
First, I love what I do, so there is no job too small. Second is my ability to copy other artistic styles. While it’s great for an artist to have their own style, it’s the client’s vision that really matters. In my Towson projects alone, I’ve replicated everything from an art deco painting to a classic 19th century Japanese woodprint like Hokusai’s Great Wave Off Kanagawa.
What does the future hold for the artist Naomi O’Connell?
Just keep working. My handcrafted books have been well received by the Renaissance Fair market so I think that offers a future artistic and economic opportunity. And recently, I received an offer to paint a beach house in Florida. If that happens, that could be a unique experience and a larger scope project of anything I’ve done so far. So we’ll see.
