SVA Archives

Steven Heller Collection Box 37 Folder 13. Jean-Michel Folon, from “The Four Seasons”, a box of cards created for the Museum of Modern Art.

December 11, 2014

Christmas mail bag

Steven Heller collected more than 250 Christmas cards from artists for a 1980s book project. Many of the cards are hand-drawn or painted, but even the reproductions are playful and highly personal.

Above, there’s a gentle and glowing Santa from Jean-Michel Folon (a dear friend and sometime collaborator of Milton Glaser’s). Below, some holiday cheer from Patrick McDonnell, Daniel Pelavin, Andrzej Dudzinski, Irv Solomon, and Michael Bartalos.

Drawing of Santa frowning on the right, and Mrs. Clause holding wine and dancing with little elves on the left. Done in black and white with hints of red.

Steven Heller Collection Box 38 Folder 2. Patrick McDonnell.

Image of a receipt on hole-punched perforated paper.

Steven Heller Collection Box 38 Folder 5. Daniel Pelavin.

Drawing in chalk over a black canvas. Includes a red striped flower, a lined drawing of a small house, and a bird with an illustration of a landscape with one ornamented tree.

Steven Heller Collection Box 37 Folder 11. Andrzej Dudzinski, 1982.

A certificate with detailed red embroidery, a drawing of a man wearing a Santa hat and beard, and the name and address of the appraiser.

Steven Heller Collection Box 37 Folder 7. Irv Solomon, 1978.

A drawing of four cartoon-like characters blowing trumpets of different design and producing an inked line that mirror the shape of their trumpets. A music note is at the end of each line.

Steven Heller Collection Box 37 Folder 9. Michael Bartalos, 1983.