It was important to see Mawulidi at his home, a small apartment walk-up near downtown Albany. Mawulidi’s wife was camera shy, she retreated into the kitchen. He has two older children, and two young ones, Makato and Movita, above, holding his new African Protection Mask, soon to be finished, painted and sold here on the blog.

It is a great pleasure to know this gifted artist, who has endured so much, but never lost his dignity, or the Creative Spark. Mawulidi believes his own Protection Mask, left behind in the refugee camp, helped save him.