New Show At Tulsa Art Gallery Supports Ukrainian Families Impacted By The War

A Tulsa art gallery is supporting Ukrainian families impacted by the war through its newest show.

Tulsa Artists' Coalition has filled its gallery with 35 pieces of art that all symbolize "Peace in a Time of Chaos," the theme of this month's show.

20 Oklahoma artists were chosen to take part in the “Help Ukraine Juried Exhibition," where all entry fees go directly to UNICEF's fund for children and families in Ukraine. Local artist David Morrison created two pieces: a portrait and a figurative piece.

"Historically art has served as a powerful witness to war and the casualties of war," Morrison said. "When creating the pieces for this show I was trying to tap into that and really pull from the images we were seeing on multiple media outlets and create basically as close as I could get to the human element of that."

He said the cause hits close to home for him because he has friends who are artists in Ukraine that he has not heard from in several months. Morrison said he has some of their work on display in his own home and thinks of them often.

He hopes when visitors see his pieces, that they will affect them in a powerful way.

"You want that connection; you need that connection with the viewer, and you want people to see sometimes uncomfortable things," Morrison continued saying, "Even on the news we sit, and we see a disaster and I would like to think we are all affected. So, when you create work like this you are trying to create something that is visceral and powerful, that people see themselves in and try to lend their own humanity to what it must be like to be in such a horrific situation."

Vice President of the Tulsa Artists' Coalition, Colleen Stiles, said seeing images and hearing stories from the war-torn country overwhelmed her. "I wanted to do something to help, but I could not do much and I thought let's bring the art community together and the Tulsa community as a whole and give everyone a way to contribute," she added. "Make a bigger impact than I could by myself."

Stiles said being a mom herself, and seeing how the pandemic impacted her kids' lives, really made her heart go out to the children in Ukraine for the hardships they are facing. "I look at these children who have been completely uprooted and have witnessed horrible atrocities and are struggling to survive and it puts things into perspective," she said.    

The "Help Ukraine Juried Exhibition" runs through February 25th at TAC's gallery in the Tulsa Arts District at 9 E. Reconciliation Way. It is open from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. Visitors can also make an appointment by visiting their website. Click Here for more information. https://www.tacgallery.org/.

Any artwork purchased or donations made during the show will also directly benefit the fund for Ukrainians. UNICEF estimates there are 5.2 million Ukrainian children in need of urgent assistance, protection, and support.