William J. O’Brien

Some of William J. O’Brien’s happiest childhood memories involve competing on a unicycle drill team in his rural Ohio hometown. “It was influential in terms of absurdity and improvisation,” he says, which are crucial factors in his art today. After studying math in college, O’Brien realized he missed the spontaneity and play of working with his hands. Driven by a need for joyful pursuits, he turned to ceramics. He loved it so much that he began to experiment with other media: painting, drawing...