Chicago Confluence

Celebrating the exhibition I curated with my beautiful wife, friends and family.

Chicago Confluence at the Willis Tower

“Chicago Confluence” is an exhibition featuring four Chicago artists who have never exhibited together and were previously unknown to each other. This exhibition, curated by Robert E. O'Connell, an art collector and art expert within the insurance industry, examines the confluence of ideas created within Chicago studios but not within a vacuum. Custom furniture is displayed as sculpture to encourage the viewer to circumnavigate perceived utilitarian objects. Appreciation of the construction of the furniture will be heightened by changes in elevation and perspective created by artists Paul Kenworthy and Rohan Ward. Diana Gabriel's installations create mesmerizing architectural webs for the viewer to experience as they meander through the Wacker Atrium. Sandro captures the heart and soul of the founders and influential members of the Chicago based Steppenwolf Theater. The intimate portraits by Sandro sheds a light on his subjects that only Sandro could evoke and capture in his new book, "Sandro Raw Steppenwolf". This exhibition is truly a confluence of Chicago artists with unique perspectives, superior executions and a celebration of Chicago.

Russell Young & Finola Hughes

We have enjoyed our time with Russell and Finola and their children (Dylan, Cash & Sadie) as guests at their home in Carpinteria, California near Santa Barbara. We became acquaintances when I was hired by Russell and his lawyers to be his expert witness in a lawsuit against his carrier, AXA Art. Following our win for Russell, we began to make yearly treks to visit their family compound. This was our first visit with Billy and Matt. We have a wonderful time and the memories are glorious.

Boating on Lake Zurich

Lake Zurich Golf Club has become a wonderful rendezvous for our family especially as Billy and Matt have been mobile with their midnight blue Ford Mustang. Billy and Matt are able to meet us at LZGC, our sanctuary, to escape the craziness of their mother and find peace, friendship and fellowship at LZGC. We are blessed to have wonderful friends like Don and Jane Oppermann (and their boat).

Father Son Doubles Champions

When Matthew decided to attend a rowing camp at the University of Wisconsin Madison, Billy and I decided to enter the "Men's 20 Doubles" competition for the 18th Annual McHenry County Tennis Classic. We never played doubles, in competition, together and entered the tournament with limited practice time. We were unknown, Billy was know as he played high school tennis at Crystal Lake Central H.S., and unseeded. I am very proud that en-route to winning the tournament that I could teach Billy that you can close out a tennis match. One of my proudest moments in my life was winning match point in the championship match and hugging my son.

10 S NE 1

They have played together as a tennis doubles team for years. They have improved immensely year by year. In fact, there was a time when they fought with each other and irritated each other to such an embarrassing degree that I could no longer play tennis with them in public. However, today they are "en fuego" and I am very proud of them. They have tremendous potential and when all cylinders are clicking they are a juggernaut on the court. Unstoppable and Martha Grahams of the tennis courts. They move so effortlessly and in concert. Ballet tennis. This year they qualified for the Illinois High School State Tennis Tournament by finishing third in their sectional finals. I was so filled with joy and emotions that I could barely speak and I was with tears (of joy and pride) for hours after the event. A father could not be prouder of his children than I am of Matt and Billy.

The Road to High School Graduation

William Bowen O'Connell (DOB - 10.07.94)

Matthew Emmett O'Connell (DOB - 10.07.94)



I remember everything about their births, minutes apart from each other. Billy had the umbilical cord around his neck and eventually emerged with the assistance of metal salad tongs leaving him with a subtle cranial deformation that marks his historic journey. Matt was breached and tried to step into this life feet first, hitting the ground running. Both were six weeks premature and sweet little peas.

Today, they are eighteen and a half years old, size fourteen feet and a towering 6 feet 3 inches tall like their father. They are wonderful, young men that I am extremely proud of every day. I miss them every day as our years of physical separation have pained me for decades. I love them both with all my heart and with every fiber of my being. They make me very happy and I look forward to watching them continue to morph into mature young men with Darci at their side.