Nativity Story

An artist’s perspective of The Nativity Story

The philatelic bureau commissioned local artist Frances Lemmon to create a modern interpretation of the nativity story, as described in the Biblical gospels of Matthew and Luke. Frances’ bold and contemporary images depict some well-known scenes, including Mary giving birth to Jesus in a stable, surrounded by animals, and the Wise Men – or Magi – following a star in the night sky which leads them to Jesus’s birthplace.

Frances Lemmon is a Guernsey artist who studied at Camberwell School of Art, Sir John Cass and London College of Printing. She has worked in many private and public collections but this is her first stamp commission and the first time she has illustrated a religious story.

Her usual style of painting is slow and layered, building up what I like to think of as emotion in an image. With these stamp illustrations she tried to channel nostalgia with the colours and icons instead. Frances’ style is bold and bright, sometimes called quirky and often thought of as impressionistic style. Her first foray into illustrating a religious story her work always looks to a spiritual focus and the search for the perfect layout.