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Junior Studio Art major Ruby Warner, originally from Marysville, OH, produced the card art for this year's holiday card.
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Studio Art Major Designs Annual Holiday Card

December 17, 2024

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MACOMB, IL - - Each year, the Western Illinois University Foundation partners with the Department of Art and Design to create its annual holiday greeting card for donors and friends of the university. This yearly tradition provides a WIU student the opportunity to showcase their artistic abilities and shine a spotlight on a special campus scene.

For 2024, junior Studio Art major Ruby Warner, originally from Marysville, OH, produced the card art, creating a wintery scene featuring Lake Ruth using a mixture of watercolor and white gouache paint. Completing this piece was an exciting challenge for Warner.

"I think watercolor painting was my favorite part," Warner said. "Before this project, I had not touched watercolor since high school and did not enjoy the medium but I actually love it now."

Warner chose to attend WIU after being introduced to the institution by two alumni, her high school art teacher and her father.

"I was interested in what WIU had to offer," Warner said. "I took some time off after my junior year. Now that I'm back at WIU, I've never felt happier or excited to grow more as an artist."

In addition to creating this year's holiday card, Warner was named a recipient of a spring 2025 talent grant. Her work has been displayed in multiple gallery installations, including the WIU Art Gallery, the Figge Art Museum, the Quincy Art Center, The Hub in Rushville and Jack Olson Gallery at Northern Illinois University. Additionally, she created a mural at a coffee shop in Mt. Sterling.

These opportunities have helped prepare Warner for the next step in her education.

"After graduating from WIU, I would love to attend graduate school and maybe teach in the future. Any artist can tell you that the dream is to have your work exhibited in a big gallery and to have your name be well known."

The annual holiday card project not only celebrates the artistic abilities of students like Warner, but also provides a connection point for WIU's generous donors and other friends of the university. Card recipients receive a reminder of the beauty of campus in the winter and receive a first-hand look at the talents of WIU students.

"Ruby beautifully captured and brought to life the peace and spirit of a winter scene at Lake Ruth," WIU President Kristi Mindrup said. "Her vision for this painting shows her connection to our beautiful WIU campus, and is an illustration of the exceptional talent that WIU student artists contribute to our university culture and community."

As the selected artist, Warner received a $500 honorarium from the WIU Foundation. The original piece will be on display in the WIU Advancement Office following the winter campus closure.

For more information on WIU's Art and Design program, visit wiu.edu/art.

Posted By: Drew Donahoo (AM-Donahoo@wiu.edu)
Office of University Communications & Marketing