6 December 2017
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has unveiled a painting by renowned Scottish artist John Byrne as the design for her 2017 Christmas card.
‘Say It With A Kiss!’ is in Byrne’s trademark style and features a dancing couple about to share a kiss under the mistletoe.
The original artwork will be auctioned next year with proceeds going to four charities – Food Train, SCIAF, Scottish Women’s Aid and Teapot Trust.
We are thrilled to be at the launch of First Minister @NicolaSturgeon's Christmas card and so grateful to have been chosen as one of four charities who will benefit from the proceeds 🌲 pic.twitter.com/o5zimTDgHr
— Scottish Women's Aid (@scotwomensaid) December 5, 2017
A fantastic afternoon with @NicolaSturgeon and John Byrne for the First Ministers Christmas Card launch in #Edinburgh. Thrilled that @FoodTrainScot has been chosen by the First Minister as one of 4 charities this year pic.twitter.com/j0LLHWpMDd
— Meal Makers (@MealMakersScot) December 5, 2017
Great news! SCIAF is chosen by renowned artist and supporter John Byrne to benefit from the sale of his painting unveiled today as the First Minister’s 2017 Christmas card pic.twitter.com/0DT3cSKpWf
— SCIAF (@sciaf) December 5, 2017
The First Minister said:
I’m absolutely thrilled to have such a beautiful painting by John Byrne for my Christmas card this year. He is one of our most celebrated artists and this work has a wonderful festive feel while maintaining John’s inimitable style.
“The four charities that will benefit from the sale of the painting do fantastic work on local, national and international levels and I’m very pleased that the card can support such a wide range of good causes.”
John Byrne said:
I was both surprised and delighted to be commissioned by the First Minister to produce the artwork for this year’s Official Christmas Card and got to work straight away – I had a notion to paint a young couple from my boyhood days in Paisley, having a great time jiving to the music of Jimmy McCracken’s ‘Big Band’ at the Town Hall c1957 dressed in the style of the day, with a nod to the Festive Season.”
Since 2007, artwork from the First Minister’s official Christmas cards has raised around £170,000 for good causes through sales of the original paintings and limited edition prints.
