Profile - Jo O'Brien

My name is Jo O'Brien (Mosely), I am a self taught realism artist living in Kingaroy, Queensland. The month of May this year marks the eleventh anniversary of me buying my first art canvas, as I deciding to try my hand at painting. Much to my surprise and the surprise of others, on that first canvas appeared a beautiful portrait of my dad, his brother and a green Holden that was looking a bit worse for wear!!

And so began my love of painting with my next painting that won me my first award and gracing the cover of the Artist’s Palette Magazine.

I have since been fortunate enough to receive many awards for my paintings over the years and to see two of my paintings off to their new home with an art collector in Switzerland.  In 2012 I was selected to represent Australia with a commission for a Children’s book. The commission was for a portrait of a child, by an American publishing company. That book was released early 2013.  I was selected as a finalist in the Mortimore Prize awards 2012, with ‘Noah’s iPod’, and in 2013 was also been given that honor with my painting ‘Reflection’.

I worked predominately in Oil paints, and have tried other painting mediums,  Although Oil still remains my favorite and predominate medium to work with.

Awards and exhibitions

2006- Heritage Art Exhibition

          Second prize, people’s choice

2006- Murgon Art Festival

           Commended

2006- A Brush .. With the Beauty of Wood and Wine

           An exhibition of my prints

2007- Combined exhibition at Wondai art gallery in February.

2007- Nanart

           First prize, highly commended-‘Traditional Oil’

           Second prize- ‘Open any subject/any medium’

2007- Front cover and feature in Artist palette Magazine

2007- Woodford Art Awards

           First prize ‘Open oils’,

           Second in ‘people’s choice’

2008- Combined exhibition at Wondai art gallery in February

2008- Nanart

          Highly commended- ‘Tradition oil’,

          Highly commended- ‘Open any subject/any medium’

2008- Murgon Art festival

          Commended

2010 Colour me blue exhibition-  First prize- Open medium

2011- Bell Show and art exhibition

           First prize- Still life,

           Second prize – Wildlife,

           Dalby’s choice award,

           Reserve Champion,

           People’s choice award

2011- First solo art exhibition at Kingaroy regional council art gallery in May

2011 – Nanart

           First- ‘open any subject/any medium’

           ‘People Choice award’

2011- Moore park beach art festival

           First- ‘Still life pastel’ section

           First- ‘portrait’ section

2011- Wondai acquisitive exhibition

           First – ‘pastels’ section

           Highly commented- ‘Oil’ section

           ‘Viewers choice award’

2011- Wondai Art Awards

           Second- ‘pastels’ section

2011- Woodford Art awards

           Second- ‘Mixed media’ section

2012- Bell art awards

           First- ‘portrait’ section’,

           First- ‘Wildlife’ section,

           First ‘Animal study’ section.

           Second- ‘Pastel’ section. 

           ‘People choice award’ Portrait

2012- Feature and front cover of the Australian Artist’s palette magazine

2012- Exhibition- blackbutt regional council gallery

2012- Finalist in the Mortimore Art prize,

           Figurative section

2012- Wondai Art Awards

           Second- ‘Oils’ section

           Commended- ‘Wild life’ section

           ‘Peoples choice award’

2013- Brisbane Valley Heritage Trails art awards and exhibition

         Highly commended- ‘Portrait’ section

           Commended- ‘still life’ section

           Commended- ‘Wildlife’ section

           ‘Packing room prize’

2013- Bell art awards

           Second- ‘small painting’ section

           Second- ‘Animal study’

           ‘Peoples choice award’ (Portrait ‘Matty’)

2013- Finalist in the Mortimore Art prize,

           Figurative section

2013- Wondai Art Awards

           First - ‘Oils/acrylic section

          ‘Peoples choice award’

2014- Bell art Exhibition

           Grand Champion

2015- Small solo exhibition at the Wondai Art Gallery