Designing La Salle University’s Christmas card gave Claire Durham, ‘26, the chance to give back to the place that has given so much to her.   

See more work on Instagram @creating_claire_

Despite a schedule packed with academics, athletics, and extracurricular activities, Claire Durham, ‘26, has always found time to be creative. This year she channeled that creativity into La Salle University’s 2025 Christmas card.  

Durham, an art history and digital arts/multimedia double major, has been making holiday card prints for her family friends for a few years, so when she heard about the opportunity to make La Salle’s, she was immediately interested. After submitting a portfolio, Durham was selected, and the work began.  

“I started with an early morning photograph of the Grotto. I was fascinated by the rays of sunshine glowing through the trees and across the stone,” Durham said about her design. “That light became the heart of the composition, a symbol of warmth and renewal, a promise of the Christmas season.”  

She illustrated the card using digital brushes that capture the texture of a watercolor painting, layering brushstrokes and color to get the final image. She also added her own touches – snow and color corrections – to make the image taken in mid-September more wintery. 

The layering technique Durham used goes back to her history of fine art painting, something which the Ohio native refined in high school. Layering was her favorite thing about the oil and acrylic paintings that she did, and creating digitally makes it even better: she can experiment with and adjust those layers throughout the process.  

The final product is more to her than just a Christmas card.  

“It feels really special and rewarding to know that something I created is part of the school’s identity,” she said. “To me, it’s a way to give back to the place that’s given me so many opportunities. Seeing my work being used reminds me how far I’ve come in my time at La Salle.” 

The 2025 Christmas card isn’t the first thing Durham has created that represents 20^th and Olney. As a student-athlete on the water polo team, it’s fitting that she’s designed the student-athlete t-shirts for the last two years. And her love of Explorer athletics extends far beyond her own sport. As one of the Olney Outlaws, Durham has also used her creative talents to design logos and other graphics for the group.  

While athletics and the water polo team played a big part in Durham’s choice to become an Explorer, she also credits the Honors Program, which she is a member of, and the community on campus with helping her make her choice.  

“When looking at colleges, I wanted the big city experience without losing the sense of a small community,” she said. “La Salle offered just that. It has the excitement of Philly with the close-knit community.” 

That close-knit community has given Durham the chance to grow in all aspects of her life, something that is reflected in her art, where one of her biggest inspirations in constant process and growth over time.  

“My time here as an Explorer has been defined by growth – professionally, athletically, and personally. La Salle has given me the opportunity to challenge myself professionally as a designer and thinker. Competing at a high level on the Water Polo team has taught me discipline and resilience,” she said. “On a personal level, La Salle has taught me to embrace change. Whether it was shifting my focus from art history to include digital media, or even just moving far from home, I’ve learned that growth happens when you step outside your comfort zone.” 

-Naomi Thomas