Local artist keeps it real

One of his paintings is
featured in the March issue of The Artist’s Magazine.

By WILLIAM K. ALCORN

VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER

STRUTHERS — James O’Malley is not into painting mailboxes, landscapes, animals or bowls of fruit.

But give the award-winning, self-described photorealist a Snickers candy bar, an abandoned ’49 Ford, the Sunday funnies, a pop can or a coffee mug as subjects, and he is good to go.

O’Malley isn’t crazy about barns either, but he likes signage. So as a compromise, he painted a Mail Pouch tobacco sign on the back of his garage. Like those painted on barns from 1890 to 1992, it says: “Chew Mail Pouch Tobacco. Treat Yourself to the Best.”

As the term photorealist suggests, O’Malley’s work is not abstract in any sense. In fact, he said his works are sometimes mistaken for photographs.

O’Malley, 68, has been an artist all of his life. He began by drawing on the family message blackboard as a 4-year-old. In 1958, when he was a senior at Ursuline High School, he won an award at the Youngstown Diocese art show held at the Butler Institute of American Art. He studied art for a couple of years at Youngstown State University, and then went to work as a letter carrier for the Youngstown Post Office.

O’Malley started entering juried art shows in the early 1980s, but it was after he retired from the Postal Service in 1992 that he began spending considerably more time painting. He said he works three or four hours a day in his second-floor studio on projects, some of which take up to a month to finish.

“I take a lot of breaks,” he said with a laugh.

O’Malley, who doesn’t seem to take himself too seriously, is very serious about his art.

He enters many area shows, winning 80 awards over the years, and has sold a number of his works at the Butler’s Fine Arts Sales Gallery.

He has had 13 one-man shows in Ohio and Pennsylvania and is a member of the Butler Institute, the Trumbull Art Guild and Trumbull Artist’s Association in Warren, the Hoyt Art Institute and Hoyt Artist’s Association in New Castle, Pa., of which he is a founding member. He has had works accepted at the Butler’s mid-year national show three times.

Most recently, one of his personal favorite works, “The Cartoonist,” was selected to be among the works of 21 artists, age 60 and older, published in the March issue of The Artist’s Magazine. The international magazine has a circulation of 160,000.

“The Cartoonist,” seen on page 41 of the magazine, was chosen from among some 600 entries because of its “Americana” subject and O’Malley’s “unique style he has developed over the years,” said Grace Dobush, assistant editor of the magazine.

“We look for people with a sense of style that we haven’t seen before,” she said.

“The Cartoonist” displays paints, paint brushes and a cup of coffee on top of newspaper cartoons.

As an artist, O’Malley said he tries to do what no one else does.

“Sometimes I use photographs, but I often make up the scenes in my mind. Of course, getting the scenes accurate requires a detailed drawing. I work the way a cartoonist does, with pen and ink. I measure every element so it’s exact,” he said.

Louis Zona, director of the Butler, said O’Malley is a “wonderful talent, an artist with a lot of skills. I’ve never seen a bad O’Malley. Everything he does is well thought out and has a polish to it.”

Last Monday, Zona was a judge at the Hoyt Art Institute’s national show and saw O’Malley’s work alongside that of artists from all over the country.

“He is as good as anybody. I’m such a fan,” Zona said.

But, O’Malley said, “if I never sold a painting or won an award, I would still paint. I just get enjoyment out of the art work, and entering shows.”

In fact, his wife of 44 years, the former Joyce Olesky, said his favorites, the ones he put so much time and energy and effort into, are not for sale.

“Unless, of course, someone wants to offer me a lot of money,” he said, laughing again.

O’Malley is not the only artist in his family. His brother, Edward of Boardman, does caricatures and paints portraits. They are scheduled to have works on display at Art Youngstown’s “Exhibition in the Great Room” from 7 to 10:30 p.m. March 14 in the Ohio One Building, 25 E. Boardman St. The gallery will also be open March 17-20 from 5 to 8:30 p.m., and then on March 21, during Independent Film Night from 7 to 10:30 p.m. The exhibit is free and there will be refreshments. For Independent Film Night, a $3 donation is requested.

While painting seems to be a family thing, O’Malley’s wife says she is not an artist.

“I just live with one. I’m his best friend and biggest supporter,” she said.

They grew up on Youngstown’s South Side, James on South Avenue and Joyce on Breaden Street, and lived in Youngstown until moving to Struthers several years ago. He graduated in 1958 from Ursuline High School and she from South High School in 1963.

O’Malley said almost anything can inspire a picture. He and his wife take a camera with them when they travel and take pictures of things that might eventually end up as a subject for his painting.

For example, he said he wants to do a series of paintings of old bars in the Youngstown area.

He works in acrylic (he is allergic to oil) and paints on acid-free illustration board. He used to do portraits and ink drawings, but now concentrates on his photorealist work.

O’Malley encourages other artists to stay involved and not give up, even when their work is rejected.

“You have to keep doing what you love to do. The only way to fail at art is to quit,” he said.

alcorn@vindy.com