Caitlyn’s Creative Vision Becomes the College’s 2025 Christmas Card
Art & Design student Caitlyn Petrie is celebrating a festive achievement after her artwork was chosen as the official East Sussex College Christmas card for 2025.
Caitlyn, a second-year student who studies on the Art & Design Extended Diploma, impressed staff with her creative approach and eye-catching final artwork, which stood out among this year’s entries for its originality and festive impact.
When she found out she’d been selected, she said: “I was quite surprised when I found out I’d won because I never expected it.”
Her sketchbook shows the journey behind the design, filled with experiments, colour tests and early ideas that shaped the final piece. Talking about how she developed her concept and what inspired it, Caitlyn explained: “I associate ribbons with Christmas because I like to wrap presents with ribbons to make them a bit fancy. So, all of my designs are inspired by ribbons.
“For the creative process, I used drypoint printing. I actually used ribbons as my initial reference. I etched that into a sheet of plexiglass, inked it, and printed it. Then, I coloured them digitally using Photoshop; I scanned and imported them, using blend modes to put on a brown packing paper background. This represents the gift of giving at Christmas, like how you wrap presents in typical brown paper.”
Caitlyn says the Art & Design Extended Diploma has helped her build confidence and explore new techniques throughout the course.
“I love the course because it’s nice to have a wide view of all the different processes you can do. Before making my cards, we explored a lot of different printing processes that were available to us, such as Lino, screen printing, and stencil printing. You just learn such a wide array of different things that are possible in art.
“It's also nice doing it with people that are like-minded. The tutors are really good with help; if you have a question, you can just ask them. They’re really helpful and have so much knowledge as well.”
The project was also a key part of this year’s Artists and Makers Fair, a huge success for the department that raised over £700. It gave students a chance to gain real industry experience.
“We sold our cards at the Artists and Makers Fair, so they were all done in time for that. I helped out there and it was definitely a nice experience,” Caitlyn said.
“You get to talk with customers and figure out how it would work in that situation. It’s nice seeing customers interact with your artwork, ask you what it means, and see how interested and engaged they are about learning about the art.”
To celebrate her achievement, Caitlyn received a £50 voucher, which has been presented by the college before the end of term.
Looking ahead, Caitlyn is already thinking about her next steps in the creative world.
“I'm looking at going to Uni, maybe taking a gap year then going. I want to figure out a bit more about art and solidify what I want to do - a specific thing I want to take on in the future.”
Her success is a brilliant example of where passion, practice and the support of our creative tutors can lead. We can’t wait to see what she creates next.