Hallmark Keepsake Artist

Hallmark presents

November 28, 2000

Before the Keepsake name was even chosen, Linda Sickman was sculpting ornaments for Hallmark. From firsts to favorites, her Keepsake Ornament designs are prized by collectors.

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Hallmark: Welcome to our Keepsake Ornament Artist chat! Tonight we meet Linda Sickman. If you dream of finding her earliest Nostalgia Collection designs or collect her brand new tin creations, this is your chance to ask questions! Send your questions now!

Linda Sickman: This is a first for me, and it's really exciting; I'm a little nervous, but I'm more excited than I am nervous about it!

Jennifer: I am amazed at the variety of subjects and materials in your work. How do you decide what media to work with?

Linda Sickman: That's a tough question! I guess it depends on the details -- how detailed the ornament needs to be. I can work in glass or tin; I have worked in a variety of materials. I think the design is what kind of dictates the materials I work with. Actually, I think I like working with the tin the best for a variety of reasons. It is lightweight on the tree, it's a nostalgic kind of material that isn't used by a whole lot of people, but you can get a lot of graphic detail in it that you can't get with styrene ornaments.

Jennifer: All three of your Pony for Christmas ornaments have had a differently-colored version. Did you select the color combinations for these special ornaments?

Linda Sickman: I wanted, in the new series, to use different kinds of styling for them. Just for a broader appeal. I selected the color combinations.

KarenW2: How old were you when you decided you wanted to be an artist? Did you ever want to be anything else and if so, what would that be?

Linda Sickman: Well, I had thought about being a medical technician at one time, but I think my gift -- my God-given talents -- lean more to art. That's really all I ever wanted to be.

Julia: How do you decide who does what for the Studio Edition pieces?

Linda Sickman: You know, I've been fortunate enough for all the studio pieces with the exception of last year's Studio piece, I've been the one that coordinated the group. Basically, I'm the one who was "cracking the whip.” A decision is made as to the concept for the piece, what that will be, and then from there I get input from all the other artists as to what piece they feel they can contribute to it.

Sun4u: Which is your favorite ornament for this Christmas?

Linda Sickman: It's a tin ornament; it's called "Cool Character.” It's a snowman with a real cloth beard. And he's tin, which is my favorite medium to work with.

Doye: You've been with Hallmark a long time, and have seen a lot of artists come and go. Who have your admired the most over the years? And why?

Linda Sickman: That would almost be like asking a mother who her favorite child is! Each of the artists in the studio has their own style and technique, whether that is realistic, folk, or cartoon. It may sound a little corny, but I've grown to admire each one for what and who they are, what they bring to the table personally and vocationally.

Leverne: I love and collect stocking hangers. Which one(s) have you designed?

Linda Sickman: You know, that's probably one of the only products that I have not worked on. I would love to though! In my 37 years with Hallmark, I have worked on candles, candle holders, playing cards, party favors, lapel pins, wrapping paper, and just about any product that Hallmark has put out, so why not a stocking hanger?

Richard: How hard is it to sculpt miniature ornaments? I could never create something so small as those mini ornaments.

Linda Sickman: Well, I have an advantage. I use big magnifying glasses! That makes everything look really big, I didn't know they were miniature! I really enjoy doing the miniature ornaments. I think there's a real need for the miniature ornaments, it's a little hard to put a six-foot tree in your bathroom, or to put one up in your kitchen, so a miniature tree works out real well. If you live in an apartment, sometimes it's difficult to put a large Christmas tree up. And that's another place where it's so handy to have a miniature tree.

Richard: You are one of the greatest artists I feel Hallmark has. I've been told before that Ken Crow is a real inspiration to several of the artists such i.e. Duane Unruh, Ed Seale, Bob Siedler. Of the Hallmark artists, who is the one artist whose work you admire most? I think you're superb, Linda, and I hope that you come back to the Mnnesota/Wisconsin/Iowa area again sometime for another artist event.

Linda Sickman: I would love to come back to your area again! And I think, once again, it's really difficult; there's too much talent in the Studio to be able to single out one.

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