Southwest Honors Former Art Teacher

Southwest High School unveiled and dedicated the newly installed Patrick O’Brien Art Gallery on April 30, 2025. Mr. Pat O'Brien taught art at Southwest High School from 1968 to 1997.

The Patrick O'Brien Art Gallery featured an exhibition with artwork from three of Mr. O'Brien’s former students; Aaron Renier, Mark Dix, and Jonah Osgood.

Dix is the Art and Design Department Chairperson in the Fine Arts Institute at Green Bay East High School. Osgood is the owner of The Blue Gem Tattooing on University Avenue in Green Bay, which employs several Southwest High School alumni. Renier is a published graphic novelist and part-time faculty at both the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Current Southwest High School art teacher and department chair Jon Taft organized the dedication to O'Brien. 

It was clear that O'Brien had made an impact on generations of students. Current Southwest High School art teacher and department chair Jon Taft noted he had big shoes to fill.  

“During my first parent/teacher conferences, the parents would frequently ask me about OB,” Taft said. “Clearly, they had also attended Southwest, and they were wondering, ‘who was this young kid standing in OB’s classroom?’” 

Students and parents alike told Taft over the years how special O'Brien was and how he was someone they could talk to. 

“And from the look in their eyes and the tone of their voice, it was clear Pat was a teacher that they loved and respected,” Taft said. “He had set the bar for me to reach.” 

Taft said O'Brien was not only a mentor to decades of students, but to Taft himself in his early years of teaching. Taft directly addressed O'Brien during the dedication ceremony.

“You [O’Brien] shared anything I wanted or needed, including friendship and good advice,” Taft said. “You taught me that the students were the most important part of the job, and you taught me to be calm and approach the job with a sense of humor.”

Many former students came out to the gallery dedication and reflected on the impact O'Brien had on them. Various alumni shared kind thoughts ahead of the event.

“OB taught me so much more than art,” one Southwest High School alumnus said. “He showed us what genuine support and encouragement felt like. He supported us in all we did, in and out of the classroom. He kept track of every win in athletics and saw every concern his students carried into his art room. He has been, by far, one of the most influential people in my life.”

O’Brien and his wife currently live in Ashwaubenon, Wis. O’Brien began teaching at Southwest High School in 1968 and led the art department until his retirement in 1997. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Superior with an art major and a history minor, and his Masters of Science in Art in 1967. 

O’Brien was recognized as the Southwest High School Teacher of the Year in 1981-82. In retirement, O’Brien started Sport Stars Screen Prints. Each art piece featured various sports characters of football, basketball, golf, motorsports, baseball, and hockey. He heavily focused on artwork of the Green Bay Packers and coaches.

When Lombardi Middle School was renamed, O’Brien made a large black and white print of Vince Lombardi and unveiled it to Mrs. Lombardi at the grand opening of the newly named school. This work was featured in the gallery in April.