Mike O'Brien's art career began in the 2010's screen printing posters for punk musicians and producing art shows at his old studio space, Hole in the Sky.

His latest works are a series of watercolor and acrylic paintings on contour-cut wood panels which explore symbols, compositions and lines inspired equally by the cartoons of his childhood and the American traditional tattoos of his adulthood. His bold lines and distinctive color palette retain the wonderment and confidence of his early punk influences, and while his screen-printing past continues to inform his style, his paintings reflect the distillation of his artistic practice and a new refinement of his skills.

His paintings and prints have shown in the DC area at Touchstone Gallery, Strathmore Mansion, Hole in the Sky, Katzen Arts Center, Studio 1469, Washington Studio School, Rhizome DC, Homme Gallery, Studio SoHy, the Fridge, and the DC Lowbrow Invitational.