Tag: Peace

Dr. Martin Luther King’s Birthday: An Animated Tribute

Growing up in Washington, DC, I have a strong memory of when Dr. King was shot. I was very young but it had a huge impact on me.  When we as a country created a holiday for Dr. King’s birthday, I was thrilled, and every year I try to mark it in some way.
When our daughters were young, we would bake a cake for Dr. King and watch his famous “I Have A Dream” speech. I took one of the lines from this speech:  “I have a dream that one day right there in Alabama little black boys and little black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers,” and combined it with our family tradition to create this animation in his honor.

 

Freedom of Expression: A Festival In France To Celebrate Political Cartoons

In September 2015, I was fortunate to visit a beautiful village in France called L’Estaque. They have a festival every year, where they celebrate political cartoons and freedom of expression. I was honored with a solo exhibition, and I spoke at the local high school. This year, the creative leader of the team of organizers was the wonderful cartoonist Fathy Bourayou. I met many old cartoonist friends, and met many many new ones.  The hospitality and joy of the celebration was very warming. They invited me back next year, and I hope to be there!

 

The Dove Of Peace As Cartoonist

dove as cartoonistI don’t see my pen as a gun. It is tempting to draw it as such, a pen or pencil is pointed, and cartoons can be very sharp  and sometimes hurtful. A gun can be a symbol of defiance and power, so can a pen.  But can we think of power another way?  Not as something that hurts or kills or maims, but something that persuades, talks, helps and cares.

A pencil and pen can be just that.

 

 

Revenging The Deaths Of The French Cartoonists

Charlie hebdo deaths2My heart goes out to the families of the cartoonist and others who were killed in the senseless violence at the offices of Charlie Hebdo. Cartoons are incredibly powerful, and it is the responsibility of the cartoonist to use her power for good. The cartoonists who were killed did just that in their own way; it is a provocative way, but that is their right.  I mourn the loss of these cartoonists as champions of freedom of expression.  My solution to revenge their killing is to draw for peace at every opportunity.

International Cartoon Festival In Caen

OPENING SLIDE, poster of festivalAlong with fifteen other cartoonists, I was fortunate to be invited to participate in the third annual International Cartoon Festival in Caen, France.  The Caen Memorial Museum, which hosts this event, is a very moving place and it was a wonderful gathering, with cartoonists from around the world.  In keeping with the emotional events that took place in the Normandy invasions, Stephane Grimaldi, the director of the museum, seeks to bring people, events and exhibits to Caen that promote peace and freedom of expression.  Below is a list of the participating cartoonists and a selection of some of the cartoons and photos from the event.

BERTH

France

BRUNOR

France

CARALI

France

CARUSO

Brésil

CHAUNU

France

DANZIGER

Etats-Unis

DONNELLY

Etats-Unis

HADDAD

Liban

JIHO

France

KAP

Espagne

KAZANEVSKY

Ukraine

KIANOUSH

Iran

KICHKA

Israël

MIX & REMIX

Suisse

ROYAARDS

Pays-Bas

WILLIS FROM TUNIS

Tunisie