The intention behind this painting was to create a Christmas card with an appealing design that wasn’t religious.  I had already finished a card with a religious theme, and wanted to offer an option.  Thinking that most people like animals, I simply had to decide upon which animal to choose to depict.  It couldn’t be a cat or a dog, I mused, because choosing either one would immediately alienate viewers who preferred the other.  The animal had to be one that everybody loved, but not a deer because that was too stereotypical for the festive period.  Eventually I decided upon the red squirrel because it was indicative of hibernation in winter, and storing supplies for a good meal.  Everyone loves a good meal at Christmas, and in any case, I would enjoy painting the fluffy, bushy tail.  I wanted to make this a very free painting, and after a failing first attempt, which resulted in a  much tighter, neater animal than I had in mind, I tried again, throwing caution to the wind, and this little chap was born.

The greeting to accompany the squirrel is “Don’t Squirrel yourself away, Call me at Christmas”

Original painting Winsor and Newton watercolour on Bockingford 425gm NOT

£145

Christmas cards £1.25 each  or    pack of 6 for £6.00