The Christmas City

This year’s Carlisle City Council Christmas card showcases the artistic talents of one of its own members of staff.

The card shows figures from Carlisle’s Christmas past enjoying the Christmas City 2007. The artist Lucy Kent a Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Officer, a native of Cumbria, a former student of Carlisle College and Cumbria College of Art, who then went on to graduate with an MA degree in Illustration and Design from the University of Sunderland in 2005.

Lucy specialises in pen and ink, computer software, paints, pastels, collage and 3D materials. Several artists including Jan Pienkowski of Meg & Mog fame and M.C.Escher influence Lucy’s work in which she depicts places, people and social events. Her recent work includes a series of gift cards depicting children’s stories, weddings, jazz and dance.

Carlisle City Council Leader Mike Mitchelson said: 

Lucy Kent is a fine example of the calibre of staff the City Council attracts, she has produced an excellent piece of work and we are delighted with the results, which we believe shows Carlisle is a forward thinking and an innovative place where there is a wealth of talent waiting to be tapped into.

Maggie Mooney Carlisle City Council Chief Executive said:

Lucy’s obvious talent for design and illustration was first spotted as a result of an article in the September edition of the City Council ‘Staff News’ Magazine, which featured pieces of her work. We quickly decided to approach her to see if she would be prepared to undertake this year’s Christmas card, she agreed and has produced this fantastic representation of the City, yet another outstanding achievement by one of our brilliant staff.

Lucy said:

I was really surprised when I was approached to design a card for the City Council. I was given a theme to work to but the rest was left to me I am really pleased with the results, I wanted to show what Carlisle means to me and hopefully people will readily recognise what I was trying to achieve.