Maura McGurk

It Gets Better Project to Support Maura McGurk’s Solo Art Exhibition

May 25, 2011

The It Gets Better Project, founded by Dan Savage in response to several teen suicides caused by anti-gay bullying in Fall 2010, will support artist Maura McGurk’s solo art exhibition at the Wauregan Gallery in Norwich, CT during July 2011.

The exhibition will feature artworks that take a stand against gay bullying. McGurk began this body of work in Fall 2010 because of the same concerns about teen suicides due to anti-gay bullying. McGurk says that although the subject matter is weighty, the work itself is colorful and attractive.

“Whenever people hear the words abstract art, or gay art, or political art, they say “Uh oh”. It sounds confrontational, or weird, or people say I don’t understand art nowadays,” McGurk said. “I want my work to have a chance to tell its story, and so I try to make it beautiful through colors and textures, so you want to spend time with it. And if you spend time with it, hopefully something else will emerge. Lots of art has been made about war and tragedy, and some of it is really bleak and ugly. Let’s face it–tragedy is ugly. But I can’t make my work that way; that’s not me.”

After a pause, she added, “Like Harvey Milk said: You gotta give ‘em hope”.

McGurk contacted It Gets Better because of their shared interest in saving teens’ lives, and told them about the exhibition. It probably didn’t hurt that founder Dan Savage was already acquainted with her work, since he owns one of her anti-gay bullying paintings, called, appropriately enough, It Gets Better.

The It Gets Better Project will promote the exhibition and have provided their name and logo for use in advertising. McGurk will donate 10% of proceeds from the exhibition to the non-profit foundation. “I wish it could be more, but a girl’s gotta eat!” she laughed.

“There is a wide range of pricing, with affordable pieces, and a fun aspect where an installation of puzzle pieces will be sold off piece by piece. There’s something for everyone, so I hope at the end of the month, I have a nice big check to give to The It Gets Better Project”.

McGurk’s anti-gay bullying artwork can be viewed on her website. To purchase a painting, please contact Maura McGurk at maura@mauramcgurk.com or through her website.

Related posts:

1. Photos from Pride and Prejudice Exhibition
2. Maura McGurk, International Women Artists’ Salon Member Spotlight
3. Maura McGurk’s First Solo Show: Pride and Prejudice, An Exhibition on Gay Bullying
4. The Only Art Worth Doing Is the Art That Makes Things Better: An Interview with Maura McGurk
5. Maura McGurk Again Chosen as Featured Artist at climate/gallery

Comments (2) | Tags: abstract art, art exhibitions, color, donations of artwork, gay art, gay bullying, It Gets Better, People in the news, political art, suicide | More: News