Featured Artist

2024 ann arbor state street district art fair

2024 Art Fair Poster

“The piece I created to feature the Ann Arbor State Street Art Fair was inspired by the Ann Arbor Bicentennial. I created a mosaic of a map of Ann Arbor based on a historic map from the 1800’s. This piece outlines the roads, railways, Huron River, old fair grounds, neighborhoods, and personal properties. Each neighborhood and personal property are defined by different colors. With this piece, I wanted to pay tribute to the history of the city and celebrate its evolution.

I chose a color scheme including blue and gold as a nod to the University of Michigan and used complimentary purples and greens to provide movement. I hand cut each piece and grind the edges for a refined finish. I began by laying the pieces filling the roads, railways, and river, then I filled in the neighborhoods and personal properties. Once all the pieces were adhered to the wood base, I grouted using a charcoal-colored grout.”

Q&A With Erin O’Connor

Personal Background

Q: Can you share a bit about your background and how you initially got involved in the world of art?

A: My mom owns a paint-your-own-pottery studio in Okemos, MI called Art Unlimited. She opened the studio when I was five years old, so I spent most of my childhood surrounded by artists and exploring different mediums. It was learning from artists like my mom and the artists that came into her store that encouraged me to become involved in art.

Q: What inspires you personally, both within and outside the realm of art?

A: Every day, I am inspired by the people around me. Between my friend’s determination, my family’s loving nature, the compassion and selflessness of the residents and faculty I work with, and the hope and gratitude of the patients I have had the privilege to help care for, I am inspired to become a better person and student. Similarly, my mom inspires me to keep making art; she changed career paths to open a paint-your-own-pottery art studio and showed me the value of hard work and pursuing what you love.

Q: Are there specific life experiences or influences that have shaped your artistic journey?

A: Although I had artistic pursuits throughout my childhood, I had never truly prioritized art over my other academic pursuits. However, that changed after I had cancer when I was 20 years old. After my treatment was finished, I struggled to process the emotional weight of having cancer. Art was the perfect outlet for my catharsis and was essential to my healing. I learned that when I surround myself with artistic pursuits, I perform better in all other areas, especially my academic pursuits. From then on, art has been a priority for me.

Artistic Process

Q: Could you walk us through your artistic process from conceptualization to completion of a piece?

A: Most of my pieces are inspired by art deco design and artists such as Frank Lloyd Wright. Once I have a design planned, I choose a color scheme, paying close attention to the textures and iridescence of the glass I am choosing to ensure the final piece is interesting, cohesive, and balanced. Many of the pieces I make use iridescent glass that changes color based on the angle from which it is viewed, which adds a dynamic aspect to the final piece.

Rather than filling larger spaces with smaller pieces of glass as is done in traditional mosaics, I hand cut each piece of glass to the shape and size to fit within my design. I do this so that the beauty of the glass can be appreciated. I then grind the edges of the glass pieces to create a refined finish and adhere the glass to my base. Once all the glass pieces are in place, I grout it with a charcoal colored grout.

Q: Are there particular materials, techniques, or mediums you prefer to work with, and why?

A: I use glass to create my mosaics. The specific type of glass I use is a clear glass with metallic paint added to the back, a concept similar to that of mirror. The paint adds interesting texture, a metallic quality, and in some glass an element of iridescence. I choose to work with this specific glass because it is strikingly beautiful and is dynamic because its qualities change based on lighting and viewer angle. Because I want to accentuate the beauty of the glass, I use larger pieces of glass in my mosaics that are cut to the size and shape for my design rather than filling in space with smaller pieces. I think this allows both the design and the glass to shine.

Featured Artwork at Ann Arbor State Street District Art Fair

Q: Can you tell us about the piece(s) you’ll be featuring at the Ann Arbor State Street District Art Fair? What inspired this particular collection?

A: The piece I created to feature the Ann Arbor State Street District Art Fair was inspired by the Ann Arbor bicentennial. I created a mosaic of a map of Ann Arbor based on a historic map from the 1800’s. This piece outlines the roads, railways, Huron River, and the old fair grounds. Additionally, each neighborhood is defined by different colors. Each of the personal properties are also outlined by different pieces of glass. With this piece, I wanted to pay tribute to the history of the city and celebrate its evolution.

Q: How do you feel your art contributes to or interacts with the overall atmosphere of the fair?

A: The art fair presents the artwork of a variety of skilled and imaginative artists. Its atmosphere is based on the uniqueness and diversity of the art displayed. I think my art adds an interesting style of mosaic artwork to the multifariousness of the art fair.

Challenges and Achievements

Q: What challenges have you faced as an artist, and how have you overcome them?

A: My first year of art shows had a steep learning curve. I made many mistakes and had unrealistic expectations. When reality did not meet my expectations, I felt discouraged and questioned my ability to be successful as an artist. Through that experience, I made adjustments and decided to try again the next year. That following year, I thrived and, more importantly, I had more fun. Shifting my attitudes and expectations, as well as focusing on the process and having fun with this experience, has helped me overcome some of the challenges I have faced as an artist.

Q: Can you share a moment in your artistic career that you consider a significant achievement or milestone?

A: The moment I stopped worrying about what others would think of my art was the most significant milestone in my artistic career. Sharing your art with others can be a vulnerable experience; both positive and negative feedback is freely given by patrons, which can be discouraging at times. For a short period of time, I only made pieces that I thought someone would like enough to take it home with them. However, over time, I learned how to let go of what I thought others wanted me to make and started to make what I enjoyed making. This was freeing and opened me up to experimenting and has greatly contributed to my growth as an artist.

Connection with the Audience

Q: How do you hope your art resonates with the audience, and what messages or emotions do you aim to convey?

A: I hope my art sparks intrigue with dynamic elements that make the piece unique and interesting.

Q: Do you have any specific interactions with viewers or collectors that stand out in your memory?

A: My favorite part of art shows is talking to the people who visit my booth. I meet so many people who share interesting stories with me or who give me great ideas for future works. For me, talking to people is one of the most enjoyable aspects of doing art shows for me. Additionally, at each Ann Arbor art fair I have been in, I have had a great deal of my medical school classmates and faculty come to my booth and support me, which has been the highlight of my shows.

Favorite Artistic Project

Q: Among all your artistic projects, do you have a favorite or one that holds a special place in your heart? If so, why?

A: Last year, I made a ceramic sculpture honoring woman in medicine. As a medical student, I was inspired by the strong female surgeons that I was working with. Reflecting on the path to become a surgeon and the additional challenges female surgeons face in their career, I was struck by their tenacity to endure their training in a male dominated field. Their hard work and sacrifices have made it possible for hopeful future female surgeons like me to pursue a career in a surgical field. This sculpture was a representation of gratitude and recognition of the contribution female physicians and surgeons have made to the current climate of medicine and surgery.

Future Aspirations

Q: Are there specific goals or projects you are excited about pursuing in the future?

A: I plan on creating a curated collection in the near future. All of my pieces are cohesive in style and color, but they are all individual works that stand alone. I want to challenge myself to create a cohesive collection of pieces that work together to convey a particular message. I think doing so would be a fun and challenging pursuit.

Q: How do you envision the evolution of your artistry over the coming years?

A: I see myself experimenting with more shapes and sizes of pieces, possibly even making three-dimensional pieces. I plan on working to continue to refine my skills and learn new techniques and am excited where that journey takes me.

Advice for Aspiring Artists

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring artists who are just starting their artistic journey?

A: Believe in yourself. Cliché, but true. If I had listened to other people’s doubt and my own self-doubt when I first decided to try selling my art, I would have never even applied to my first show. Just focus on your artistic vision, always be looking to grow, and believe in your abilities. And, ask the artists that have been doing this a long time plenty of questions – they are wonderfully knowledgeable and give great advice.

Q: How do you stay motivated and inspired during times of creative block or self-doubt?

A: I usually step away from a piece if I am experiencing creative block. Sometimes time away and a change in environment is all that is needed to overcome creative block. When I am experiencing self-doubt, I stay motivated by shifting my focus to having