Finally! The post-holidays, after-New Year’s, not quite Spring, too early for July 4, Annual Smithsonian Winter Greeting Card
When we chose the annual Winter Greeting Card last December, we intended to publish on New Year’s Day. But the best-laid schemes of mice and men (and editors) “gang aft agley,” as the poet says. We may be a little late for the holiday season, but the spirit and creativity of our colleagues is something to be celebrated all year long.
The Smithsonian is an inspiring place, full of talented and creative people. When he began his tenure, Secretary Skorton began a new annual tradition that shares a bit of the wonder of working here with friends and colleagues across the globe in celebration of the holiday season and the beginning of a new year.
In October, we asked the Smithsonian community for help in designing the Smithsonian winter greeting card. We received many creative and imaginative submissions that captured the essence of the Smithsonian in art, animation and photographs.
We’re delighted to announce this year’s winner, the inspiring design, “One Smithsonian” created by Savannah Loebig, Visitors Services Assistant with the Office of Visitor Services
“Before I came up with the idea of an animation for this contest, I created different SI buildings in Illustrator as a way to reteach myself the program. This was made possible by my access to the Adobe Creative Cloud thanks to the Smithsonian’s new agreement with Dell.”, Savannah says. “I then learned about Adobe After Effects, and taught myself how to make simple animations using the buildings I created. My idea was to showcase the architecture of different Smithsonian buildings, especially ones off the Mall, and to essentially say that despite being located in different places with totally different buildings, we are still One Smithsonian.”
In a tradition they began years ago, Secretary Skorton and his wife, Dr. Robin Davisson, used this image as their inspiration for a haiku they wrote for the Smithsonian’s winter greeting.
“Your work is inspiring, and you showcase it in different ways every day,” Dr. Skorton says. “When Robin and I arrived at the Smithsonian in 2015, we wanted to share this creativity by holding a contest to design the Institution’s Winter Greeting Card. The contest is now in its third year, and we again received many wonderful submissions from across the Smithsonian.
“Congratulations to Carolyn and our young friends at SEEC, and great thanks to everyone who submitted something for the contest.
“Robin and I wish you and your families a happy holiday season and a healthy and joyful new year. We are grateful to be part of the Smithsonian family, and we look forward to working with each of you in 2018.”
Start thinking now about your submission for next year’s contest and check out the rest of the 2017 finalists. Congratulations to everyone who submitted a design!
2018 Winter Card Finalists
Submitted by Lynn Abbot
Submitted by Michelle Brown
Informatics Office
National Museum of Natural History
“Snowburst”
Snowflakes normally have six rays, but this one is a bit different. I learned how to sew and craft from my mother, and the winter time when you were stuck inside was always the best time to make things to brighten up the house on long nights. Crochet snowflakes are one of my favorite decorations to make, and I was inspired by the rays of the Smithsonian sunburst to make a “Snowburst” design. I hope that the snowflake this image invokes a sense hominess and warmth for my SI friends.
Submitted by Troy J. Covington
Chief of Police
National Zoological Park Police
“Come on In, Our Lights Are On!”
Here is my photo submission to the Winter Card Contest. The name of the photo is “Come On In Our Lights Are On!” This doesn’t apply to just the zoo, but all of the Smithsonian Institution.
Submitted by Cynthia Cox-Grollman
Current volunteer at the National Museum of African American History and Culture
Former SI employee at the National Air and Space Museum
One-time summer security intern at the Arts and Industries Building
Longtime Resident Associate
“”Relax at our Castle this Winter”
Oil, words added and cropped using Photoshop
Submitted by Eileen Doughty
Docent, Smithsonian American Art Museum
“Now Bring Us Some Acorn Pudding”
Textile and mixed media (cotton fabrics, cotton threads, fabric pastels, ink, color pencil)
Submitted by Danielle Duran
National Portrait Gallery
“Winter Blessings”
My entry is related to the winter solstice. Along with a moon and sun close together, representing the move toward longer days and the equal time between day/night during the solstice, I have an archer, a goat, a water bearer and fish in the scene to represent the zodiac symbols from the winter time period.
Submitted by Gargi Gupta
“Santa and His Helpers”
Submitted by Ani Gupte
IT Project Manager
Office of the Chief Information Officer
The Tracy Arm Fjord near Juneau, Alaska is a pristine, inspiring, and humbling sight. The clean air, colder water and nutrient rich upwelling is home for many unique species like the Primnoa Pacifica corals which are an ecosystem teeming with life.
Global warming and changes in water temperatures and salinity is affecting the frequency/rate and scale of the fjord calving. Pollution from human activities like fishing, offshore oil and gas operations, deployment of pipelines and communication cables, mineral mining, etc. is affecting the growth rates and food supply of corals.
Initiatives like the Smithsonian Institution’s Strategic Plan Goal 2 “Catalyze new conversations and address complex challenges” are imperative in providing a forum for proffering solutions to such problems.
Submitted by Trevor Hlynski
Asian Cultural History Program
National Museum of Natural History
Smithsonian Castle
I took this photo of light shining through one of the towers of the Castle on November November 10, 2018, and has not been edited in any way.
Submitted by Amy Lemon
Program manager
Office of Fellowships & Internships
To mark the end of the 2016 James Smithson Fellowships I created mandalas for each JS Fellow. The theme of the 2016/2017 James Smithsonian Fellowship was environmental conservation. The design I used incorporates the four important areas of research conducted by these JS Fellows: whales, butterflies, caterpillars, and frogs. One of the mandala designs incorporated blues, silvers and pearl white. That design was submitted for the 2017 Winter Card Contest. The other mandala design used reds, browns and golds. I’m submitting the red and gold design for the 2018 Winter Card Contest.
Submitted by Eric Liu
Intern
National Museum of Natural History
This year, Secretary Skorton announced that 2019 will be the Smithsonian Year of Music, and I thought it’d be fitting to kick off the Holiday season with song. For my submission, I recorded a short song I wrote (+piano) celebrating the Smithsonian’s history and its impact this year. Along with the song, I recreated the Smithsonian sunburst with images commemorating some highlights of 2018.
I am grateful for, and inspired by my time at SI, and am awed by the creativity, curiosity and solidarity with which the Institution carries out its mission.
Submitted by Eric Long
Photographer
National Air and Space Museum
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden.
First snow of the season, November 15, 2018
Katherine Dulin Folger Rose Garden
First snow of the season, November 15, 2018
Submitted by Lt. J.L. Matthews
National Zoological Park Police
Station Commander, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
Happy Holidays
Submitted by Ken McCracken
Central Engineering
Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics
This video was the creation of my daughters Kyra McCracken (15) and Anna McCracken (17). Happy Holidays!
Submitted by Ashley Meadows
Gallery Guide Manager
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
Happy Winter
I’m happy to submit my digital drawing featuring Pepper the robot to this year’s winter card contest. Since joining the pilot round of the project, Pepper has played a huge role in my professional life this year and I’m excited to see what next year will bring!
Submitted by Renee Miller
Volunteer
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
National Museum of African American History and Culture
Magnolia Peace on Earth
As an avid beekeeper and gardener, two sayings come to mind:
When the flower blossoms, the bee will come. — Srikumar Rao
Remember that children, marriages, and flower gardens reflect the kind of care they get. — H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
I always walk through the lovely Smithsonian gardens on my route to the Hirshhorn. Eye catching and sweet smelling, they always make me smile. Many species are insert loving plants full of pollen and nectar, drawing my favorite insect….the honeybees! So, I take a lot of pictures as well. This particular day was when the magnolia trees (I love trees as well) were ripe with showy bloom and the most aromatic fragrance. I captured this picture since these flowers attract various pollinators with their most delicious nectar and pollen. It was also one of the most gorgeous blooms I had seen in a while. I would attribute my inspiration to my deep respect and admiration for Mother Nature.
Submitted by Officer Mike Minks
Office of Protection Services
Udvar-Hazy Center
Submitted by Brian Morris
Office of Building Renovation and Exhibition Services
National Museum of American History, Behring Center
The Carousel on the Mall Before Dawn
Incorporated Microsoft Word Picture Tools to Format Picture and Artistic Effects
Submitted by Suzan Murray
National Zoological Park
We Save Species
Submitted by Merit Myers
Winter Winter birds in flight during a blizzard. Celebrating all the colors of the birds of the Americas.
Submitted by Emmaline Nelsen
Intern
National Postal Museum
Submitted by Ralph Nelson
Volunteer
National Museum of Natural History, Q?rius
Submitted by Larry O’Reilly
Assistant Director (Retired)
National Museum of Natural History
“White Bird, Blue Sky”
This photo was taken in Botswana, Africa in early September of this year. The whiteness and starkness of the bird, against such a rich blue, seems compelling and reminds me of the spirit of the Winter Holidays, as if witnessing a miracle. This photo was taken from a canoe moving through the water….
Submitted by Jim Preston
Supervisor/Photographer
National Air and Space Museum
Snow feature of the The Smithsonian Institution Building, popularly known as the “Castle,” in Washington, DC, 2018. (Smithsonian Air and Space photo by Jim Preston )
Snow feature of the The Smithsonian Institution Building, popularly known as the “Castle,” in Washington, DC, 2018. (Smithsonian Air and Space photo by Jim Preston)
Submitted by E. Rashlich
Volunteer
Smithsonian Institution Building
Christmas tree in Great Hall of the Smithsonian Castle
Submitted by Stephen Roberts
Volunteer Docent
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Feather
Submitted by Jamile Shirley
Museum Specialist
National Air and Space Museum
I gathered the color scheme from the SI visual styles secondary color palette.
My goal was capture the simplicity of global holiday unity, cheer, celebration, and excitement, while also nodding toward the ethereal nature and wonderment of all 19 Smithsonian Museums. We are One Smithsonian. Bright. Vibrant. Brilliant. Collaborative. Overlapping. Inclusive. Welcoming. We celebrate together.
Submitted by Vanessa Haight Smith
Book Conservator
Smithsonian Libraries
The design was inspired by this year’s celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Smithsonian Libraries. The method demonstrated, known as paste paper, has been used to decorate book covers and endsheets for several hundred years. It was a simpler yet versatile alternative to elaborate marbling patterns.
Paste paper is made by brushing starch paste mixed with a colored pigment to a sheet of paper. While the paint is still wet, decoration is added with stamps or other tools, like combs and sponges. This procedure, by which a variety of colors are layered, gives the decoration a characteristic three-dimensional appearance. Paste papers have often been made by bookbinders, paste being an adhesive that is used in bookbinding. There are several examples of historical paste papers throughout SIL’s collections.
While traditional paste papers are often non-representational patterns, this particular effort is intended to create the impression of 21 trees against a winter sky. Each tree represents a branch of the Smithsonian Libraries. The base color is burnt sienna, with a curved, swirled pattern added using a comb – over which ultramarine blue paste was applied. The tree trunks were created using a microspatula; the tree limbs and stars were added using the end of a chopstick. The background effect was applied with the bristles of a dry paint brush.
Submitted by Ezequial Villarreal
Applications Programmer
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute
Merry Christmas
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Posted: 19 February 2019
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Great ingenuity and excellent work are exhibited here. The finalists’ card submissions do indeed indicate that there are creativity, curiosity and solidarity within the Smithsonian, as one of the card entrants mentioned. In addition to introducing us to some of the amazing talents of staff and volunteers, we get an opportunity to learn about more of the fascinating places to work that are a part of the SI. I’m already looking forward to the next card exhibition.
Gini Robinson
Docent, Smithsonian American Art Museum