Kate O’Connor

Kate O'Connor's work draws inspiration from moments in modern life. Whether encountered “IRL” or online, O'Connor translates these observations through oil paint. Her neon palette imparts a digital sensibility that contrasts with her expressive brushwork. She uses humor to illuminate the tensions inherent in everyday life, such as the small triumph of growing a cherry tomato in a garden despite the presence of aphids.


In O'Connor's paintings, one might encounter scenes like a cat eating a cob of corn, women reveling in—or recoiling from—a stripper in a leopard-print thong, or an overworked Tooth Fairy biting an oversized hand. While rooted in some semblance of reality, these scenes also incorporate invention, speaking to fantasies and desires. Her work is playful, yet it hints at a simmering undercurrent of anxiety.

Recurring motifs often appear in O'Connor's paintings, such as a woman eating a piece of pasta, an image that might prompt viewers to ask questions like, “Shouldn’t she be eating salad?” or, “Eating alone seems so loser-like—doesn’t it shorten your lifespan?” Through these elements, O'Connor aims to construct a world that is at once obvious and perplexing, humorous yet truthful.