Muriel Fahrion, the original concept artist for the Care Bears, created a wonderful drawing of a new bear that sported a “Black Power” and carrying a “Black Lives Matter” sign. Fahrion initially posted the drawing on the print-on-demand site RedBubble, along with an announcement that all proceeds from the sale of the merchandise would be donated to “the Reed Foundation, a Black-founded organization which helps disadvantaged youth in Tulsa”
Unfortunately, American Greeting Cards, which owns the Care Bears must have gotten wind of the plan, and nixed it, so the picture is no longer on Red Bubble or Fahrion’s Instagram feed. However, Fahrion also was one of the original artists that developed “Strawberry Shortcake.” So she drew Strawberry Shortcake’s friend Orange Blossom — also supporting Black Lives Matters.
… and now that design, too, is being taken down at the request of the copyright holders. Fahrion says that they were “very understanding” and that “we will be having discussions on how we can move forward.”
We love that Fahrion is still active after all these years and that she is engaged with her community and trying to use her art to do good things in the world. More power to her!
But as talented as Fahrion is an an artist, we feel that it is her incredible dancing that she will be remembered for. Her Instagram feed is peppered with videos of her dancing to pop and R&B songs, and the fact that more people haven’t viewed this delightfulness is a crime, really.
