A festive creation that survived the Glasgow School of Art (GSA) fire has been chosen as the Scottish First Minister’s official Christmas greetings card for 2014. The image, which was safely housed in the GSA archives, is a winter scene, and was produced in the 1970s by the late Phyllis Dodd. The work was part of a series of GSA Christmas card images which survived May’s devastating fire.
Alex Salmond previously commissioned a work which was auctioned for good causes.The First Minister’s card will go on public sale – for the first time – ahead of next Christmas to raise funds for charity. This will include funding for the Mackintosh restoration appeal, to restore the badly damaged GSA building.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “I am delighted to bring back to life this Christmas card, beautifully designed by Phyllis Dodd. It is a lovely wintry image that adorned the front of a Christmas card at the art school many years ago. Christmas is a time for reflection and this year has been an unforgettable one for all those who have studied, worked or had a connection to this world-leading school of art.”
The Minister continued: “The fire was a devastating loss, not only for this year’s students but for the many who have in some way been inspired or moved by the magic of one of Scotland’s greatest artists – Charles Rennie Mackintosh. While some artefacts and pieces will sadly never be recovered or replaced, I felt that it was appropriate to demonstrate that there is still hope when some small historical pieces as beautiful as this have survived and can now be enjoyed by many people this Christmas.”
The First Minister said she “immediately” thought of the GSA when deciding on a Christmas card image weeks into the role – and went on to choose the image by Dodd; adding “It seemed to me to symbolise the whole spirit of restoration that now surrounds the Glasgow School of Art, with so much being done to restore it to its former glory.”
GSA director Professor Tom Inns stated to The Herald Scotland: “We are delighted that the Scottish Government has selected an image from Glasgow School of Art archives and collections for its 2014 Christmas Card.”
The card will go on sale next year in aid of The Mackintosh Appeal, Yorkhill Children’s Charity, The Catherine McEwan Foundation, Scotland’s Charity Air Ambulance, and Legion Scotland.