We're at the very end of September now and summer feels like a very long time ago. The sun is still shinning but there is a very definite chill in the air. Being a mum, a partner a creative and running my own show, is often a juggling act - and if I'm honest, I can't juggle. So typically when school is on holiday so am I, but that's ok. I try to take this time away from the printing table to reflect and research, as well as being able to whole-heartedly enjoy family time. It also means that after the holidays, I often find myself playing catch up. I had grand plans for a calendar, which is unlikely to be released in time for Christmas but that's ok, it's still in the works. Instead I've opted for smaller, more manageable projects I can get finished in time, namely holiday cards. I've got one batch at the printers as I write and others in the queue. I love Christmas, spreading goodwill and season's greetings so any excuse to work on holiday cards and stationery is absolutely fine.
While all these designs are original linocut prints, rather than printing them by hand, I have them professionally printed here in the UK so I can really take advantage of having multiple colour-ways in one design, without the need for multiple plates.
First in my linocut Christmas card collection for 2023 is 'Holly Noël'. To me, holly is synonymous with the festive period as much as Father Christmas, mistletoe or mince pies and it was the first design I got down on paper. I really love the contrast between the glossy, green holly leaves and berries as we embark into longer nights and darker mornings. When everything else returns to the ground and blooms fade, holly bushes are thriving and blossoming their way into the deepest of winters.
It took several revisions to get the placement of the banner right, but I'm really happy with the flow of this design, the detached berries adding the perfect balance of festive red to offset the tangle of green. There was a lot of detail to carve in this lino block so I opted to use my favourite Japanese vinyl lino as it shows each carve and mark beautifully. I can't wait to add these cards to the shop soon!