Mo O'Laughlin is a 24 year-old non-binary artist, born and raised in Minnesota, and a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ and neurodivergent communities. They have a particular passion for the charcoal medium and find that its high-contrast, expressive, yet fluid nature allows for powerful movement and emotion to be pulled through the page. Though Mo graduated from Macalester College with a BA in French and International Studies, a single drawing course from Megan Vossler had an immense impact and significantly added to their foundation as an artist.
The human figure is the primary subject of much of their work. While capturing the beauty of the flesh is important to them, Mo also uses the outer human figure to reflect the inner human mind, "When interacting with a piece that reflects back to us a form of ourselves experiencing a pure and honest emotion, a certain intimacy and connection forms".
As a life long artist and a lover of many mediums Mo also finds joy creating fluid acrylic paintings. The bright colors of these paintings serve as a wonderful contrast to their work with charcoal.
'Life's Leash' was featured in this year's Northern Lights Juried Exhibition, Salute to the Arts 2023 Exhibition, recognized internationally through Art Collide's Order and Chaos Exhibition, and displayed through Art on Hennepin Avenue (located at the Chamber's Hotel in Minneapolis now - April 2024).
Multiple charcoal pieces were featured in 'Women's Work' - an exhibition by 119 North Weatherly Gallery - celebrating the creations of women and non-binary artists.
