For almost two decades I’ve painted a Santa to share with friends at Christmas … not every year, but probably around fifteen total. I do have a new one this year.
2006 marked the beginning of a Christmas tradition for Studio C Shute — Santa Knows. I’d been working in the DC market for nearly three years, and wanted to send clients an artistic card for the holiday. After a disappointing search among commercial products, I did what artists do: I made my own. The card needed a theme, something stretching the boundaries of tradition. And it needed to feature portraits. The jolly old man’s omniscience won the day, and Santa Knows was born. A friend modeled for the first card, rendered in ink and oil paint on paper. Subsequent Santas were more elaborate, but for me this first one captures a Knowing Santa as well as any of the later subjects.
