Capturing the frozen beauty of snow crystals

This year’s two sparkling Christmas stamps appear on 24 October. Through the versatile use of watercolour, Swedish artist and summer Ålander Anette Gustafsson has explored the magic of snow crystals.

CAPTURING THE FROSEN BEAUTY OF SNOW CRYSTALS

SWEDISH ARTIST Anette Gustafsson was pleased and exited to receive the commission to illustrate this year’s Christmas stamps on a snow crystal theme. However, the mission proved to be more tricky than expected: “I worked with the illustrations for many weeks and experienced a great challenge as I had to adapt my style to the expectations on the illustrations. I usually seek out my paintings, scrubbing for light and expression but, now, more contrast, colour, detail and an entirely different composition were required. In the end, I was very satisfied with my paintings!”

ANETTE TAKES inspiration for her paintings mainly from nature and, in the summer time, you find her on the island of Rödhamn just outside of Mariehamn, where she paints as she and her family run the guest harbour. Winter, she confides, is mostly a period of waiting for spring and the open sea: “I enjoy the sparkling white and the snow, but I long for the return of the light.”

THE CHRISTMAS STAMPS are Anette’s third stamp commission for Åland Post. Her previous designs issued in 2009 and 2011 were also watercolour illustrations. She describes her preference for water-colour as a way of expression: “Watercolour is a divine musical material allowing playfulness in the process with a dash of surprise and spontaneity that I find enticing. I find myself in a nearly meditative state when I paint. I’m not tempted by the more exact or detailed painting, but I’m challenged by capturing the ambiance and light.”

CHRISTMAS

DATE OF ISSUE: 24 October 2019

ARTIST: Anette Gustafsson

EDITION: 150 000 & 80 000

DENOMINATIONS: Julpost ()0.90); Världen ()1.80) PRICE FDC: )3.50

STAMP SIZES: 36 x 25.5 mm

SHEET SIZES: 2 x 20 stamps PAPER: 110 g/m² PERFORATION: 13 per 2 cm PRINTING METHOD: 4-colour offset + UV coating PRINTING HOUSE: Cartor Security Printing

The transient snow crystals also adorn the first day cover and cancel. Snow crystals form in the clouds. They are hexagonal and turn into snowflakes when they clump. Since humidity and temperature in the clouds vary, each snowflake is unique.