Hinlicky Holiday
Celebrating 50 Years of Creative Greetings
Welcome
Join us on a journey through
half a century of holiday greetings.
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#1
Humbug!
1975
Hand printed etching, created in Mr. Conover's printing class, at the Newark School of Fine and Industrial Art on High Street in Newark, New Jersey.
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#2
... Just so you could read it
and throw it away.
1976
Pen & Ink on illustration board. Printed at the late great Drapkin Printing, Linden, New Jersey.
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#3
... They forgot to butter the ball.
1977
Gouche on illustration board. Back in the day, the only option for affordable printing was black-and-white. Photocopiers sucked at the time, so we needed to deal with traditional printers. On this one, I tried to spice it up a little, working in tones and printing it on off-white paper.
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# 4
1978
The issue of only being able to afford black-and-white printing (four color lithography was the only alternative, which was way out of the question), led to this time around, where I decided to hand color each card. That was around 50 cards!
#5
1979
Pen & Ink on illustration board with
glued on photo for color's sake.
#6
1980
Pen & Ink and ben day screen on illustration board. All I remember of this one is that the idea came to me after I thought about making a card for a business size envelope.
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#7
1981
The first card created with my wife, Celeste, A music major, piano instructor and children's choir director, who's piano, cat (Tiffany) and handwritten score (God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen) appears here. You can also see an example of how bad Xerox was.
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This card, printed in green line on cream paper, celebrated our marriage and first home in Ocean Gate, New Jersey. Celeste was nearly two months pregnant and getting her exercise here, while I'm working up in my attic studio (without heat).
#8
1982
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#9
1983
I don't remember how the connection was made, but a card company called Brazen Images commissioned me to create 6 cards of various subject matter. This was the Christmas entry. What the heck, I painted it, they were free, so...
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# 10
1984
Our daughter Erica arrived in July of 1983, so of course the first card after the previous freebee would have to center on her. As you can see
from the drawing's lower portion, she borrowed someone's hat for the photo. Always resourceful.
# 11
1985
Tiffany makes a return appearance (see card # 7
from 1981) in this acrylic painting reproduced in
winter blue. This has always been one of my favorites.
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# 12
1986
Another use of a pasted on color photo with a black and white card. Erica helping with the decorations.
# 13
1987
Pen & Ink on paper, Celeste art directed this one. She posed Erica and presented the photo to me with the idea of an old school ink drawing.
# 14
1988
With the birth of our son Graham in June of '87, this subject matter became the first in a series, to be visited again and again, in future years.
# 15
1989
Yeah, I know this is pretty surreal, but you try coming up with an idea every year. I mean they
can't all work perfectly. Ha!
# 16
May your holiday season be a masterpiece
1990
We were finally able to get a 4 color lithographic card. Thanks to a favor from a great North Jersey printer. Nice! The original of this homage to Michelangelo has always been a favorite. Oil on masonite.
# 17
1991
Cassandra came along in March of 1991, so the family was complete. This silkscreen on paper was created on a whim. This is another favorite.
# 18
1992
We bought a piece of land and built a house on it. This die cut card was sent out as a celebration of the construction of our new home. 32 years later, and here we are.
Front art is done in acrylic on illustration board.
# 19
1993
Revisiting our friend... Huh! We never named him. No he's not Rudolph or possibly not any of Santa's first string, so don't go suggesting those guys. He might not even be a he. They could be a she. IDK, maybe one of you can suggest a name.
Acrylic on illustration board.
# 20
1994
By this time, our kids were pretty used to modeling. Having utilized many models over the years, I have to say, they were the best.
Watercolor.
# 21
Have you been good this year?
1995
The scene created here in oil on wood panel isn't a
re-creation of an actual event, but more of a combination
of multiple events.
# 22
1996
A visit from the reindeer part 3. Oops, it looks like he/she/they is becoming a bit uncooperative, but it seems the kids might have other plans.
Acrylic on illustration board.
# 23
1997
I wanted to create a card that might hang in there a little longer. I don't know if it worked, but I like to imagine it did. Brush pen on Bristol board.
Real old school blueprint of the renovations and modernization of Santa's Workshop, by the architectural firm of Jingle, Lingle & Ling. I'm not sure if the actual construction followed these plans precisely, but I hope at least some of my concept made it through the approval process.
# 24
1998
The whole family contributed to this one. Everyone was tasked with creating a message of Christmas.
I love this one.
# 25
1999
# 26
2000
Oh look! I told you earlier that the kids had plans for that pesky reindeer. Wow, look at 'em go! I sure hope that toboggan has brakes on it.
# 27
2001
This is actually our lives at the time. It's great to nostalgicallylook back. When you say things were simpler back in the day, this kind of thing can give a person a rude awakening. Still, it's nice to reminisce.
Ink on board.
# 28
2002
This was a kind of fun idea, presenting all of our earliest visits with the big red man. This mailing folded out, one spread at a time. Cassandra's first visit came about after multiple tries ultimately happening with an assist from Graham. In an earlier photo, he took his first encounter like a pro.
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Erica's inauguration happened in a little "snow" covered cottage in the toy department of Macy's on 34th Street in New York.​
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Celeste, who felt the same way about Santa as Cassandra, when she was a kid, finally came through with an assist fro Cassandra.
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Their all jealous of me, because I met the REAL Santa Claus. Ha ha!
# 30
2004
As I recall, I warned them that they were going a little fast down that hill...
# 29
2003
As I recall, I warned them that they were going a little fast down that hill...
# 30
2004
This was our riff on the traditional Christmas season post card that is so popular every year. Because of my "artistry" we never had one of these classics. For this card, we decided to show what actually goes on behind the scenes, in the photographer's studio.
By the way, the pictured photographer is Ansel Adams.
# 31
2005
The Spirit of Christmas doing me a favor by putting on the higher lights.
Acrylic on board.
# 32
2006
Awwww... what good kids! Just look how much they've grown, and they're so accommodating to poor old what's his/her/their name.
Oil on masonite.
# 33
2007
Globally warm wishes... get it? Like, global warming at the North Pole? Ok, good.
Acrylics on illustration board
# 34
2008
When this idea popped into my head, I literally laughed out loud. I mean it's not really that funny, but I just had to do it. You know what they say, sometimes you just need to scratch the itch. -- Ink and watercolor on Arches paper
# 35
2009
The kids return to the nest.
Watercolor.
# 36
2010
Thanks to a great production person and a wonderful printer, I managed to pull off this poster of all 35 cards done to that point.
# 32
2006
Awwww... what good kids! Just look how much they've grown, and they're so accommodating to poor old what's his/her/their name.
Oil on masonite.
# 37
2011
For the occasion of the birth of our granddaughter Tessa, another character also had a child. I guess that answers the gender question.
- Watercolor
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# 38
In innocence lives magic
2012
Tessa was a great model. The fairy was a little difficult.
- Watercolor
# 39
2013
Greetings from Disney World! Weeeeee!
# 40
2014
A new generation. Braden & Tessa on an all new reindeer. Although it does look familiar.
It feels like 1988 all over again.
# 41
2015
One Christmas night, so long ago
A star shone down so all would know
That in a manger on that night
a child was born, our guiding light.
In 2016 we decided to dedicate the holiday card to as many people as we could. This collage, with the front cover and inside spread showing, is a collection of handmade or personal photo cards sent to us over the previous 41 years. Enjoy.
# 42
2016
# 43
2017
This is a little concerning. We can't find a card for 2017! I mean, did I even do one? I don't know! And the worst part is that I can't even remember what it might be!
Hey! If any of you know, please drop me a line at: bohemiac1@yahoo.com - Thanks!
# 44
2018
This card was a complete project of my wonderful wife, Celeste. She selected the photos and the layout. You go Celeste! You rock. --Thanks to our friend, Debi Von Koch, for hunting this one down in her archives!
You also rock!
# 45
2019
How is that hot cocoa staying hot?
- Watercolor
# 46
2020
Mend.
# 47
2021
The grandkids make
the reindeer their own.
# 48
2022
No matter where we go...
there we are.
# 49
2023
I made this!
# 50!
2024
There you go! That's it. You made it.
Happy Holidays!