Stafford Hill Assisted Living hosted a LGBTQ+ art show at its residence on Thursday, June 12, where both residents and community members gathered to admire work featuring one of their very own residents, Gerald Donelan.
Gerard Donelan (pen name Donelan), a 76-year-old American cartoonist, was part of the first wave of openly LGBTQ+ cartoonists. Born in Jamaica Plain, and growing up in Plymouth, Donelan moved to San Francisco in the 1970s, where he met his husband before eventually returning to Plymouth.
He is best known for his series “It’s a Gay Life,” a single-panel cartoon that ran in The Advocate for over 15 years. Donelan also has two published books – “Drawing on the Gay Experience” (1987) and “Donelan’s Back” (1988).
Donelan’s artwork has been published in seven countries, including South Korea, and translated into five languages. His illustrations have appeared on T-shirts, rubber stamps, and even in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. Both artistic and educational, his work played a vital role in raising awareness about safe sex practices and the AIDS crisis through cartoons, pamphlets, and posters aimed at the gay community.
The event was a huge success that filled the Stafford Hill community with pride. Donelan’s talent and humor were prominently displayed through his work and many attendees admired and respected Donelan for his comfort and confidence in sharing more about himself and his story through his art.
– Jadzia Walker