On Thursday September 28th, discerning art aficionados from NYC and across the world gathered at the opening reception for Emma McCagg’s “Mr & Mr and Family” exhibition in the West Village at Proyectos Raul Zamudio on Jane Street.

WATCH: Emma McCagg talks about the “Mr. & Mr. and Family” exhibit on The Donna Drake Show (CBS)

"Thank you to all the double dads who lent themselves to the portrait exhibit MR & MR and FAMILY. It has produced more joy and success than I ever imagined!!" - Emma McCagg

The New York State Council for the Arts (NYSCA) sponsored exhibit consists of portraits that Emma has painted of the families of gay men who are raising children; including the attending Songwriter Desmond Child & Curtis Shaw; as well as Talk Show Host Karamo Brown; Actor Claybourne Elder & Playwright Eric Rosen; CEO of Barry’s Bootcamp Joey Gonzales & Chef Jonathan Rollo; and UK Businessman Barrie Drewitt - Barlow and others. The opening reception also features Live Music by Robert Nuovo.

The idea for project came when Emma met the first “Daddy Double” - the term Curtis Shaw, one half of the couple, coined when referring to himself and his husband, Desmond Child; the grammy winning songwriter, penning songs like Livin’ La Vida Loca (Ricky Martin), Dude Looks Like a Lady (Aerosmith), Livin’ on a Prayer (Bon Jovi) and many more. Curtis and Desmond have been married for thirty years and have raised twin sons, now twenty one years old. The Shaw-Child family were even featured in a documentary about their life entitled “Two: The Story of Roman and Nyro” (2013).

The paintings of New York based artist Emma McCagg have been exhibited internationally at world renowned events including the 2009 Beijing Biennial, 2008 Yeosu International Art Festival, as well as at group and solo shows in a litany of museums, galleries, and art fairs in many cities.

While a painter first, Emma has also become an award winning filmmaker. For her first film, a feature documentary titled “There’s Something About John”, she received an artist fellowship from the New York State Council of the Arts (NYSCA), grants from both the JM Kaplan Fund and the City Artists Corp, and many private donations. Among other festival awards “TSAJ” won Best Feature Documentary at the Big Apple Film Festival and Audience Choice in the Amsterdam Lift Off Film Festival. Several of her short films and vignettes have also been shown at the 3rd Ward, Brooklyn, NY, the White Box, NY, NY, and the Salazar Gallery, San Diego, CA.

Visit Emma McCagg online and on Instagram

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