About Hilda O'Connell

Hilda O’Connell received her BA degree in Advertising Design from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. In 1957, while a senior at Pratt she was introduced to painting by her teacher and future mentor, Jack Tworkov. After graduation she continued to study with him at his studio on the Bowery.

O’Connell studied Art History at NYU and then later received a scholarship. From Yale University. While at Yale, Hilda completed her MFA and was distinguished with Ely Harwood Schless Memorial Prize for Drawing and Painting. For 40 years she taught Art History and Studio Art at Regis High School and was also professor of Art History at Marymount Manhattan College.

In the late 1950’s she moved to East 10th St. where her neighbor was Milton Resnick, and located on the floor above were the studios of Wm. DeKooning and Esteban Vincente. Across the street was the Aegis Gallery where she later became a member and exhibited from 1960 – 1967.

During this time she began a friendship with the sculptor Reuben Kadish and his wife Barbara, they open her up to a whole new world. Reuben was a close friend of Jackson Pollack and he introduced her to Pollack’s brother Charles and to other artists of the New York School.
Later on, at Rueben’s farm in New Jersey, Dan Kadish married Musa Guston and Hilda attended as their Maid of Honor.