Madeleine O’Connell was born in Arnes, Iowa. She received her Bachelors in Fine Art and Art History from University of California at Santa Cruz, and also studied at the University of Georgia with the Studies Abroad program and Studies with Rudi Pazzotti. O'Connell furthered her education at the Metropolitan State College of Denver where she studied with E.C. Cunningham.

Madeleine O’Connell’s artistic mission statement sums it up perfectly: “My paintings are about color and the joy of life. I work spontaneously, playing freely with line, shape and palette, allowing infinite ideas to materialize in paint. The expressive use of intense color in my work transforms a seemingly ordinary scene, with common objects, into high impact painting. They range from small scale gems, that one can interact with on an intimate level, to grand pieces that dominate a room and provide a “mental space” to get lost in. Painting, for me, is a joyous process, which makes life complete.”