[2] MacConnel had a lot of trouble starting out as an artist due to the fact that he had to come up against the minimalism of the time in the 1970s.
During the Minimalist movement, artists weren't interested in color or even painting for the most part; MacConnel's art just wasn't accepted as serious.
It also had partly to do with his material, instead of painting on stretched canvas, MacConnel instead painted on fabric and bed sheets, which he would tear apart and sew back together again.
It wasn't until MacConnel was in an exhibition in (Germany) that his art became recognized.
MacConnel is married to artist Jean Lowe and lives in Encinitas.