A graduate in Fine Art Painting and Printmaking from the University of East London, Ms O'Brien was so inspired after her first visit to Venice in 2000 that the Venetian Carnival became the focus of her first solo show 'Carnevale' in 2002 at Greenall Winskell Kish Gallery in Newcastle.
The annual Venetian Carnival, which began in the 13th century, was a huge part of Venetian life until the fall of the Venetian Republic in the 18th century.
During the 1980s the festival was revived and now sees visitors travelling from all over the world to join in the celebrations. Wearing traditional masks, revellers of all ages attend masked balls in celebrations that last throughout the night.
After the success of her first solo show Ms O'Brien applied to the Leonardo da Vinci II exchange programme and was given the chance of a lifetime to go and live in Venice for three months to try her hand at the Venetian tradition of mask making in Il Salotto delle Maschere.
Ms O'Brien explains: "Since my first visit to Venice in 2000 I became fascinated with the Italian city, its history and traditions.
"From the beautiful bridges to the breath-taking churches, it was the mystery and magic of the carnival and Venice itself that captured my imagination.
"I was thrilled to have been given the opportunity to show my work in a part of the world that proved to be so inspirational for many of history's greatest artists."
Since her return to Newcastle, Ms O'Brien has begun a series of workshops with pupils from St. John Bosco's RC Primary School in Sunderland to pass on the tradition of mask making to youngsters in the region.
The exhibition is funded by the Arts Council of England North East.
Carnival is on show until March 6, at Osteria 'Muscoli's', Via Pescheria 23a, Treviso 31100, Italy.