Jack Dorsey painted the first Christmas card that he and mom sent to family and friends in 2004. He’s painted a Christmas card every year since then. In December 2016, Jack unveiled that year’s Christmas card at the grand opening of Sunnyshore Studio. Here is the history of Jack’ss Christmas cards, their original inspiration and the paintings themselves. Enjoy this history of the Christmas Cards of Jack Dorsey.
Original Inspirations
One of the inspirations behind Jack’s Christmas card is his dear friend, renown watercolor artist Thomas William Jones. Tom painted four Christmas cards for Ronald and Nancy Reagan when he was president, 1985-1988. Tom is a gifted artist and being chosen to paint the nation’s Christmas card was quite an honor. The video below was made for Tom’s retrospective exhibition, An American Winter at the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, CA.
Tom’s beautiful Christmas card paintings inspired dad. Other inspirations Dad and Mom’s love for their family and friends and expressing that love by sending a card. They also value the personal touch and creativity (over the store bought cards) and are thrifty (so preferred saving money by making their own cards). I’m thankful that they began that tradition. It brings beauty and joy into the world each Christmas.
2004 Christmas Card
The first Christmas card we have record of is Dad’s painting of holly. I love how the red berries cascade across the dark green leaves.
2005 Christmas Card
Dad painted this Russian teapot on our mantel in our home in Indianapolis. He must have photographed or sketched it then painted it at his studio on Camano. The silver of the teapot in “Mantel Grace” sparkles against warm colors of the fireplace.
2006 Christmas Card Concept
Here is a “concept” painting for the 2006 card. Dad painted this plate with “Baby Jesus” but didn’t end up using it. I don’t know why.
2006 Christmas Card
Going through old photos, I stumbled upon this Christmas card that Dad and Mom sent to us when our family lived in Indianapolis, In (2002-2015). Our best guess is that this is the 2006 Christmas Card. We’re still working on locating the original. Stay tuned for details.
2007 Christmas Card
We have a year gap in our records. Then this delightful painting of a nutcracker standing guard. I recognize the window shade at Dad and Mom’s house, and mom’s lovely decor of holly and poinsettia. Some of my favorite paintings of Dad’s are still life paintings where he merges objects with nature. A friend of mine from Stanwood High School days purchased this painting!
2008 Christmas Card
The 2008 Christmas Card is an example of Dad’s gift at still lifes that merge nature and objects. Dad loves old things, antiques, and many times they make their way into a painting, like this scale.
2009 Christmas Card
This oil painting is titled “Tommy Loops Place”. Dad has a knack of remembering names. I’m not sure who Tommy Loop was, but I’m sure Dad does and could tell some stories. I’m sure later today he’ll be straightening me out on old Tommy Loop. But anyway, here is his place. The yellow house stands bright against the muted autumn trees. I love the sparkle of snow on the ground and roofs.
2010 Christmas Card
This loose watercolor resembles a more traditional Christmas card in the subject of the nativity. I really, really like its freshness. The star watches over the stable birthplace of baby Jesus, the holy Son of God, light of the world.
2011 Christmas Card
Dad paints in oil and egg tempera and gouache but he paints best in watercolor. This Christmas stocking with greens is a great example of his expressionistic realism. Dark and light values make the painting pop. And the complementary red and green sing.
2012 Christmas Card
Dad painted one of Mom’s Christmas angel on a metal plate and vase. Mom loves to decorate her home with beautiful little things. Christmas time is especially sweet with her angels and nativities that preach in their own way that “the light of the world is Jesus.”
2013 Christmas Card
“Christmas back home” was painted as a gift for a friend who was dying. Dad wanted to evoke for his friend his home, his “place”. I’m sure it meant a lot to his friend.
2014 Christmas Card
Dad’s 2014 Christmas Card, “O Holy Night”, captures the feeling of winter. Long shadows are cast by the moon on the freshly fallen snow. The church glows in the light (is it moonlight, or a streetlamp) and snow laden trees on both sides are the arch the worshipper enters to pay homage to the King of kings.
2015 Christmas Card
I’m pretty sure this Christmas card gave me the idea of making the unveiling of Dad’s Christmas card a thing at Sunnyshore Studio’s grand opening in 2016. This card is perfect. Sweet and simple, with an adorable angel on top the stable. The fir leaves and Holly in the snow are exquisite.
2016 Christmas Card
This was the Christmas card we “unveiled” at our 2016 Studio grand opening. It is an oil painting titled “Home for Christmas” and was purchased by a collector.
2017 Christmas Card
This year Dad painted Cedarhome, a nearby community. I really loved the deep reds against the lights of the snow and distant trees, and the wreath on the mailbox welcomes you home at Christmastime.
2018 Christmas Card
Last year’s painting, “Home Tweet Home” was absolutely delightful and snatched up by a collector for a mere $1,500. Here is the unveiling of the 2018 card.
2019 Christmas Card
Dad’s Christmas Card for 2019 was a beauty, it was titled “Joy to the World.” Dad painted three of Mom’s angel figurines in sing in front of crimson candles glowing bright against a dark blue backdrop. My friend, Nathan Partain, let me use his wonderful song “Arise and Shine” for the video of last year’s unveiling. Here’s a video of that unveiling.
2020 Christmas Card
There is a fun story about Jack’s 2020 Christmas card. Dad painted a delightful still life acrylic that mom photographed and they sent in to the printers be turned into the 2020 Christmas Card. We planned to unveil the painting at our Saturday, December 6 opening for our annual Christmas show (Which we’ve canceled now due to the pandemic). On Sunday, November 22, friends and collectors of Dad’s art, William and Sandra Dykstra, paid a visit and enjoyed lunch at Dad and Mom’s place (William is almost exactly Dad’s age. They met on jury duty a number of years ago). Dad showed him all his new paintings. William ended up wanting to buy none other than the Christmas Card painting and offered $1,000 for it unframed! As mom puts it, “Dad sold it with the idea that a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush.”
The Dykstra’s purchase of his Christmas Card painting was, of course, super encouraging for Dad. However, it left Sunnyshore Studio with the dilemma that we no longer had a Christmas Card painting to “unveil”. Dad nobly went back to work, and has painted a wonderful second Christmas painting much like it, but also with its own special flair and flavor (see image above).
2021 Christmas Card
2022 Christmas Card
The 2022 Christmas card is titled “Remembering.” Jack writes, “With a few design changes I converted our wood shed into our 2022 Christmas card with a blanket of fresh snow.”
If you are interested in purchasing the 2022 Christmas Card painting here is the relevant information:
- “Remembering” by Jack Dorsey
- Oil Painting, 16″ X 20″
- Unframed
- $700
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