This year, the City of Woodstock's official Christmas card features original artwork inspired by the annual tree lighting that takes place during the Christmas Jubilee and Parade of Lights. Persian-American artist Sanaz Mousavi Dillard created two watercolor paintings, one featuring the gazebo in the Park at City Center decked out in holiday decorations and another featuring Woodstock's beautifully-lighted, thirty-foot Christmas tree shimmering beneath a peaceful full moon.
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City of Woodstock 2023 Christmas Card
Inside of Christmas Card
After waiting fourteen years for a Green Card, Dillard moved to Woodstock with her young son. Sanaz left her hometown of Tehran because she felt it was not possible live a life in peace under repressive governance. "I chose to make Woodstock our home because of the city's energy, charming design, and overall feeling of peace," said Dillard. "I call Woodstock a utopia because of the peace I feel here and the love I have for its people who are warmly welcoming of diversity and have such an authentic curiosity." When Sanaz met her husband Phil, a U.S. military veteran and trauma nurse practitioner, he too fell in love with Woodstock and relocated from Midtown Atlanta. The couple now live in downtown Woodstock with sons Ardi and Shahan.
The vibrant colors and abstract symbols of Sanaz's acrylic works evoke themes of wisdom and love. Her paintings have been included in exhibits at Woodstock Arts' Reeves House locally and in galleries in London, Milan, and Vancouver. Sanaz creates decor and gift items featuring her artwork that are for sale along with custom-blended Persian teas on her website. She teaches watercolor and Persian calligraphy to a growing list of students. Recently, she became a maker-member at Made Mercantile, a small-scale manufacturing collaboration on Main Street that is a program of the Woodstock Downtown Development Authority. It is Sanaz's dream to one day open a business in downtown Woodstock centered around her artwork and classes that will contribute to customers' inner and outer peace while sharing aspects of her ancient culture with the Woodstock community.
At the Regular Meeting of Mayor and Council on Monday, November 27th, Dillard presented Mayor Michael Caldwell with the two original paintings featured in the City's 2023 Christmas Card. According to Mayor Caldwell, "It's an honor to utilize Sanaz’s artwork in the City’s annual Christmas card. We are grateful to Sanaz for sharing it with us and with the community."