pen and ink/watercolor; 12×12”

“The girl holds her yellow balloon in front of Vladimir Putin just as students held flowers in front of tanks in Tiananmen Square? Putin is Toxic Masculinity which at best swaggers and boosts. At its worst, it declares war. Toxic masculinity proclaims its strength with slogans, flags, rifles and threats of violence. I see the girl and the balloon as a gift of Hope and Innocence both held up as a challenge. Because of people like her, I am innocent enough to believe that my vote will count.”

ARTIST BIO: Writer, painter, cartoonist, Richard Albin has worked as an artist, theatre artist, and musician. He tries to pass along the places he goes and people he meets in stories, songs and drawings.