I'm really, really hoping that subhead will age badly. Really.

Here's the latest in my ‘vote’ mixed media series. I made the bulk of them in 2020, presuming that if we voted Trump out then, he was done, and we were done with him. Ah ha ha...I actually made this collage during the primaries, but have been saving it for the National Election, which would be...today.

paper, glue, oil pastel, roughly 5.75" square; child's diary page, repurposed

I can't say exactly when I made it, because silly me, I forgot to date it, and the pages in this sort-of sketchbook are not filled out sequentially (for one thing, I mostly skipped the ones already filled out by the f2 who kindly gave it to me (as opposed to throwing it out;)

It features a failed sudoku—my spouse is really good at them, and they were definitely a pandemic activity; after a while we switched to apps, but initially, he printed them out, and I saved the filled out sheets for collaging. Lots of flag stamps^[1] , a ballot box icon that our City Clerk likes to put on election materials, the back of an envelope, a bit of flag torn from some mag or other, colored pastels (haven't really explored using these much, but I'd like to) fixed with glue, and...a made in China sticker.

This was the very last item I attached to the work. Believe me, I'm well aware of the irony, but for me it added that snap and really pulled the work together.

Cuz, even with the existential dread this election has inspired, I can't help being a bit snarky.^[2]

Unless otherwise noted, text, image and objects depicted therein copyright 1996--present sylvus tarn.