Introduction
Once again we have been delighted to work with Anglia Ruskin University students on our new Christmas Cards for 2026. We set an open brief for final year BA and MA students at Cambridge School of Art to design a festive greetings card for the Kettle’s Yard shop. We’re pleased to present the four winning designs, which will be available to buy this Christmas.
This project has been kindly supported by King & McGaw.
Meet our winning illustrators!
1. Tereza Horáček
Introduce yourself
Hello! My name is Tereza Horáček. I live in Oxford and I am currently studying MA Children’s Book Illustration at Cambridge School of Art (Anglia Ruskin). I enjoy using paint to make painterly illustrations that capture everyday activities and childhood experiences.
Tell us about your design and what inspired it
My card design is of two small children building a snowman outside Kettle’s Yard. The sky is pink and the lemon yellow glow of the window adds warmth to an otherwise wintery scene. I was inspired by painters from the Kettle’s Yard collection; such as Winifred Nicholson, Ben Nicholson, Christopher Wood and Alfred Wallis. I enjoy the way Alfred Wallis painted with directness and immediacy. I love the way he used broad brushstrokes and thickly applied paint to depict the sea. I thickly applied paint to illustrate snow and then used the end of the brush to scratch into the paint to capture the bare winter trees in my Christmas card.
What’s your favourite thing about Kettle’s Yard?
There are so many paintings, prints and drawings in the collection that just make me want to draw and paint! I love discovering a new artwork every time I visit. My favourite piece in the collection at the moment is a very small linocut by Ben Nicholson called Jug and Bowl– or maybe it is Paris Snow Scene by Christopher Wood…Ah I don’t know, I think I might have too many favourites!
2. Sam Morris
INtroduce yourself
I’m Sam Morris, an author illustrator currently studying the MA in Children’s Book Illustration at Cambridge School of Art. My work often begins with noticing the small, overlooked things such as ordinary objects, curious characters and quiet moments that might hold the beginnings of a story. I work across painting, printmaking and mixed media, and my sketchbooks are where most of my ideas begin, but it’s in the print room where creative surprises happen.
Tell us about your design and what inspired it
My design was created in response to thinking about peace. I began thinking about peace not only in the enormous sense of peace in the world, but on a much smaller, more human scale – the things that become broken and how we might put them back together. I created a monoprint of a broken ceramic plate and repaired the crack with gold, inspired by the Japanese tradition of Kintsugi. Rather than hiding the break, Kintsugi honours it, using gold to make the repair visible and considering the object more beautiful because of the damage it has experienced and the care taken to repair it.
There’s also a little play between peace and piece within the image: a broken piece made whole again. That idea feels particularly connected to my work at the moment. I’m increasingly interested in small acts of repair, and in the thought that something doesn’t have to return to exactly what it was before in order to become whole again. Perhaps peace works in much the same way, beginning with small acts of care and repair.
What’s your favourite thing about Kettle’s Yard?
My favourite thing about Kettle’s Yard is that it feels like entering someone’s home and being invited to notice. I love the way art sits alongside pebbles, plants, furniture, ceramics and everyday objects. Nothing seems to shout for your attention, yet everything feels considered. The longer you look, the more you discover.
As an illustrator and storyteller, that really resonates with me. I’m fascinated by the stories held in ordinary things and by the idea that arranging, keeping and caring for objects can itself be a creative act. There’s a quietness, a peace to Kettle’s Yard that encourages you to slow down and look properly. I think that might be my favourite thing of all.
3. Millie Rowlandson
Introduce yourself
I’m Millie and I’m an illustrator based in Saffron Walden. I recently graduated from Cambridge School of Art with a BA in Illustration, and I have been featured as one of the Association of Illustrators’ ‘10 UK Illustration Graduates to Watch’. My work is a celebration of nature, and I explore colour and composition through gouache and coloured pencil. My practice covers editorial, book illustration and pattern design. Besides drawing and designing, I love hiking, tending to my house plants, photography, baking and walking the dog!
Tell us about your design and what inspired it
My design was largely inspired by the natural forms found within the rooms of Kettle’s Yard house. I wanted to include the natural objects that could fit a festive theme. A lot of these were found in the dried flower arrangements, such as oranges, pine cones, and willow branches. Naturally, I also included a few shells in my design as well, as I consider them to be an essential feature of the house. The text in the middle of my card design is a line from the Christmas hymn ‘A Great and Mighty Wonder’. I was inspired by the glass plaque I spotted in the house, with a verse of this hymn engraved. I wanted to include this because of the importance of music to Kettle’s Yard and as it perfectly suited the festive brief.
What’s your favourite thing about Kettle’s Yard?
I love the notion that everything is placed purposefully within compositions of colour, form and shape. Every time I visit Kettle’s Yard, I discover something new. My favourite space is the area upstairs with the big window that lets in beautiful light – it has shelves full of plants, rocks, glass, and shells. It’s a house that I would love to live in!
4. Pinxiu Liu
Introduce yourself
I’m an illustrator and graphic designer from China, currently studying for an MA in Children’s Book Illustration at Cambridge School of Art. I take inspiration from everyday life and love using soft colours to tell warm and playful stories. When I run out of ideas, I go for walks, watch the cows around Cambridge, or play with my pet rats. I often turn them into the main characters of my stories, wearing silly little clothes and solving all kinds of problems.
Tell us about your design and what inspired it
Christmas always makes me think of Christmas trees and falling snow. Kettle’s Yard feels much more like a warm and welcoming home than a traditional museum, so I wanted to capture that feeling. I used traditional Christmas colours and a print-like texture, while keeping key elements such as the large window, Christmas tree, sofa, rug and dancer sculpture.
What’s your favourite thing about Kettle’s Yard?
In the Kettle’s Yard Shop
Christmas Cards
Browse our full range of Christmas cards, available in the Kettle’s Yard shop, including the four winning designs above.