Featured Artist – Debra Nielsen
Title:
Hallmark Keepsake Artist
(Production Designer)
Started at Hallmark:
August 1997
Started at Keepsakes:
August 1997
Hometown:
Clinton, Iowa
.
Debra Nielsen’s Iowa childhood bestowed her with a love and appreciation of animals. She was inspired by the horses she raised and showed with her sisters, and she’s rarely been without a dog by her side. Now, with expert instinct and a careful hand, Deb creates Keepsake Ornaments that celebrate those beautiful horses and other animal friends.
Sculpting horses can be tricky, but this labor of love has become a life-long passion for Deb. Her authentically inspired designs require a sharp eye for detail that comes from a childhood of growing up around horses—and around the growing collection of models on her desk!
Deb has always loved art—and her beautiful show horses. These were, after all, the inspiration and models for her first drawings and paintings as a child. But when it came time for college, Deb went to beauty school rather than an arts program. At that time in Clinton, Iowa, an art degree most likely would have meant becoming a teacher, but she felt called to bring her vision to life on a daily basis. Ironically, she now uses her cosmetology experience to fashion the hair and makeup on Madame Alexander® ornaments.
In addition to her other talents, Deb used to sew wedding gowns, and she is able to use that fashion experience in the fabric attachments she creates for our ornaments. Deb loves the details of her job, from dreaming up new ornament concepts to the intricate sculpting detail involved in bringing her sculpts to life.
And more than a Keepsakes Artist, Deb is the proud mother of Mallory, who “expresses her art through words,” has successfully achieved her Masters in Communication, and is now a proud wife and mom herself.
In Deb’s spare time, she enjoys painting, interior design, exploring the great outdoors and spending time with her husband—fellow Hallmark Keepsake Artist Steve Goslin.
Share the Magic: Ken’s 2019 Tabletop Tease
Ken Crow and the Case of the Missing Train
Keepsake Master Artist Ken Crow has a sneak peek of his 2019 Tabletop Decoration that he’s eager to share….if he can track it down. Find out if his detective work pays off.
Ken Crow: Creating Christmas Keepsakes for Your Tree
Behind the Scenes with Hallmark Ornament Artist
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — For Hallmark master artist Ken Crow, it’s Christmas 365 days a year.
“I only thought I was only going to be here two years and I’ve been here 39 years and four months and I’m still just starting,” said Crow.
His job full time is creating the Keepsake Ornaments at Hallmark.
“Throughout my career at Hallmark, I’ve made over 500 ornaments,” said Crow. “They range from ornaments that are miniature that are this big to normal size ornaments to mechanical ornaments to table toppers.”
But, where does it all begin for this artist?
“So, to create an ornament, a sketch will take me as quick as five minutes to as long as a couple of days,” Crow said.
From there, he has to get the thumbs up by a committee. If approved, Crow heads to his computer to sketch.
“I used to sculpt by hand, with my left hand, with wax and clay. And now, I’m 100 percent digital and I sculpt with a mouse with my right hand,” said Crow.
It takes a whole team of writers, art directors, engineers and more to bring the ornament to life. After he finishes, a prototype type is printed.
A life size version is printed for Crow. It comes out all gray, so the artist can determine what color everything needs to be. Months later, it’s on the shelves at stores around the world.
“When they buy it, there is nothing like it. That means I did a job, someone liked what I did and they are going to have a happy experience on their Christmas tree,” said Crow.
There is one ornament representing something to him, it’s the ornament of his son and daughter from the 1990’s.
He is grateful to be living his dream.
“I kind of look at it like I’ve been given a gift and I get to make things and that’s my gift. My gift is to make people happy with the things that I’ve made,” Crow said.
His holiday ornament featured in the story is available in Hallmark stores.
The 2019 Hallmark Keepsake Ornament Club Convention will be held at the Westin and Sheraton Hotels in Crown Center on August 8-10, 2019.
By: Jordan Betts
Home & Family: Debra Nielsen Visit
Debra Nielsen’s Visit
Hallmark Keepsake Artist Debra Nielsen visits HOME & FAMILY to talk about her horse ornament designs this year and share a sneak peek of her 2019 A Pony for Christmas ornament.
Artist Journal: Edythe Kegrize (Creative Processes)
Monday, December 10, 2018
When I start a new concept for an ornament, I usually dive into all types of visual research first. This can be anything from a trip to an antique shop to admire vintage jewelry, pottery or glass to flipping through home décor magazines, spending some time on Pinterest to see what people are liking, or even visiting our huge archive of art here at Hallmark to see if anything “speaks” to me.
Brilliant Butterflies
The funny thing about inspiration is you never know where it will come from. There is a certain amount I pull from my own life experiences and childhood memories (Christmas wonders as a child, Great Grandma’s vintage jewelry or ornately decorated teacups). I am constantly keeping up with the latest crafts as well as trends in home décor. Everything from frames to soap dispensers can suggest interesting material combinations and finishes. You have to always be looking at everything, everywhere to visually stockpile a huge stash to pull when it comes time to submit new concepts. All good excuses to go shopping! If you can imagine all the visual clutter it takes for my creative juices to keep flowing, you might have a pretty good idea of how chaotic my workspace might appear to be. I definitely subscribe to the “out of sight, out of mind” point of view on cubicle organization. Everyone knows “Creativity is Messy”!
Songs of the Season: O Christmas Tree
My creation process is a “whatever it takes” approach to communicate the idea that is in my head. I may start with pencil and paper then move to a bit of clay to fully work out an idea. I have also been known to work out a rough design in paper sculpture. I have always constructed things of paper and I used to design complex folds with paper when I was a greeting card illustrator. It’s a quick way for me to think through a 3D form and how it sits in space. I always finish my creation in Photoshop on the computer, where I draw my ornament from enough different views to fully articulate my expectations for the final look of the piece.
My style tends to be decorative. I often prefer simple forms with ornate surface design, a carryover from my nearly 25 years as a greeting card illustrator, I think. I like to play with a variety of styles from classic to more modern, elegant to cute. Mostly I am known for a pretty and elegant point of view, but it is fun to explore other looks on occasion as well.