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In what is becoming a Christmas tradition, not just a shop have once again teamed up with Tate to bring you a collection of heart-warming, comical and joyful greetings cards, perfect for the holiday season.  

But before we showcase this years collection featuring 6 talented students, we have an overall competition winner to announce….

This year’s overall winner is Gracie Dahl, whose iconic “Mince Pie Man” illustration reminds us of scrumptious festive food and embracing the holiday spirit. Gracie recently graduated from Camberwell College of Arts and her colourful and bright work showcases the curious world of being a human – our interactions, movements and expressions.

We’ve talked to all the UAL students whose artworks are also featured in this year’s collection. Read below to find out what each artist has to say about their work and to see their wonderful designs.  

Mince Pie Man” by Gracie Dahl

What was the inspiration behind your Christmas card design?

My design is a playful take on the tasty excesses of Christmas time – a little cracker crown topped man having his festive fill of mince pies with such commitment his fear isle jumper is fit to burst! It was created using gouache and collage, combined digitally with multiplied layers. 

What is your favourite thing about the holiday season?

My favourite things are the smaller, quieter moments, ones spent quietly munching, or preparing for the big day. It’s not all about the loud unwrapping or carol screaming- festive snacks are just as fun!

A Walk in December” by Catarina Morais

What was the inspiration behind your Christmas card design?   

“A Walk In December” captures that warm, cosy feeling that we get from being with our loved ones, even in the coldest of days. I wanted my card to have a sense of community and compassion, so I focused on creating a variety of little moments and interactions throughout the composition.  

What is your favourite thing about the holiday season?

Just as in my card, I believe unity/compassion is the most valuable part of this season. I believe this time of the year always brings out the best in us: a sense of giving, making others happy and coming together as a community. And, of course, the food! 

“Feeling Like a Child” by Giada Maestra

What was the inspiration behind your Christmas card design?   

“Feeling Like a Child” was inspired by one of my own Christmas memories. Last December, whilst at my parent’s house in Italy for Christmas, there was a heavy snowfall overnight. I woke up in the morning seeing my beautiful city covered in white and I felt pure joy, it reminded me a lot of my childhood. I decided to immediately capture my feelings digitally, using Procreate for iPad Pro. 

What is your favourite thing about the holiday season?

The smell of my mother’s cookies flooding the whole house. 

“Christmas at Tate Modern” and “Christmas at Tate Britain” by Rebecca Munday

What was the inspiration behind your Christmas card designs?   

A lot of my inspiration originates from life and my adventures around the city, observing the world around me and recording it in my accumulation of sketchbooks. I wanted to produce a playful design encapsulating the ‘Spirit of Christmas’. Growing up I often visited London to see the Christmas lights and visit the Tate museums with my family.  This nostalgia, alongside the Christmas tradition of the gingerbread house and discovering that gingerbread has been in use as a global art form over many centuries, was the inspiration for my design.

What is your favourite thing about the holiday season?

For me, Christmas is always a special time of year! I love getting to spend time with my grandparents/family, decorating the tree and listening to a bit of ‘Wham!’. 

“Season of Gifting” by Cindy Qiaolin Sun

What was the inspiration behind your Christmas card design?   

The “Season of Gifting” was initially inspired by the meaning and message behind the nutcracker – a symbol of good fortune and protection. The design was an anthropomorphised interpretation of what Christmas means to me – a magical time of the year filled with presents, blessings and love. Through my design, I wanted to wish everyone a safe and prosperous year. 

What is your favourite thing about the holiday season?

My favourite part about Christmas is exchanging presents that are filled with love and surprises underneath the Christmas tree. In that moment, I am always reminded of how grateful I am to have everything and everyone in my life.  

“Lonely Christmas Bauble” by Lou Mathian

What was the inspiration behind your Christmas card design?   

With my smiling Christmas bauble I wanted to give to the card the spirit of Christmas by using bold colours that evoke the return to childhood, at a time where objects could have a soul too.

What is your favourite thing about the holiday season?

My favourite thing about the holiday season would probably be the social aspect, being reunited with family, like an annual awaited event.

Cards are priced at £7 for a pack of 6 and sold both in store and online. We also have an offer of 4 for 3 on all packs of the Tate x UAL Christmas cards, in any designs of your choosing.

Join us in our mission to shop small, share the love and support creatives this Christmas. As always, every purchase helps us to support students and get pioneering creative businesses off the ground!