The Annunciation: The Inspiration Behind My Christmas Cards

Christmas has always been a time of faith, hope, and reflection for me. This year, I wanted to create a Christmas card that expressed something deeper—the beautiful message at the beginning of the Christmas story.

The inspiration goes back many years to when I was living in Madrid, Spain. I often visited the Prado Museum, where I was deeply inspired by the extraordinary works of El Greco.

At the time, I was pregnant with my first child, Alex, which made my encounter with El Greco’s The Annunciation especially meaningful to me. The painting’s beauty and its message of faith, anticipation, and new life stayed with me long after I left Madrid.

The Annunciation tells of the moment the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and announced that she would become the mother of Jesus. It is a beautiful beginning to the Christmas story—the announcement of the coming of Christ and a message of hope.

Years later, those memories and that inspiration became part of my own artistic interpretation of The Annunciation. When I decided to turn the artwork into Christmas cards, I wanted the inside to be personal as well, so I wrote the greeting in my own calligraphy:

These cards bring together two things I love—painting and calligraphy—along with a memory from a very special time in my life.

My hope is that when you send one, it carries something more than a Christmas greeting. I hope it shares the peace, joy, faith, and hope at the heart of the season.

— Kelly
Greek Violin Art