Foundation Holiday Card Designed by Western Illinois University BFA Student
Since 2012 the Western Illinois University Foundation has worked with the WIU Department of Art to select a student to design the Foundation’s annual holiday greeting card. The opportunity gives a student the chance to showcase their skills and build their portfolio and also gives WIU alumni and friends a first-hand look at the talents of WIU students.
Junior Bachelor of Fine Arts (art/studio art) student Mackenzie White of Virginia, IL, was selected by her instructors to paint a winter-themed picture for the Foundation card. The finished product is an original watercolor painting of historic Sherman Hall in the winter.
WIU student Mackenzie White with her holiday card artwork
“This is such a lovely opportunity and I really didn’t foresee that this would happen to me. This is my first semester as a transfer student at Western, and I have felt nothing but welcomed by all the professors,” White said. “To be asked to paint this year’s card is such an honor. I really appreciate the fact that my professor sought me out to do this, and believed in me to do this. That’s something you don’t forget, and I am very excited about it.”
In addition to creating this year’s holiday card artwork, White recently painted a Rocky on Parade Bulldog, and also participated in painting the downtown Macomb Arts Center as part of the Homecoming 2021 “Paint the Town” event. After completing her BFA, White is thinking about graduate school, and is also hoping to be a part of the professional fine arts world.
“Working with our outstanding art students to create the annual holiday card for the WIU Foundation is among one of our most favorite things to do,” said Brad Bainter, executive officer of the WIU Foundation. “Our collection of original prints from the students who have created the Foundation holiday card since 2012 captures the extraordinary talents of our students. Thank you to Mackenzie for her wonderful work and for sharing her artistic skills.”
As the selected artist, White received a $500 honorarium from the WIU Foundation. The original piece will be on display in the Foundation office following the holiday break.
