When Grade 10 Argyle Secondary student Christine de Guzman was drawing at home, she had no idea it would be the winning piece for a Christmas card.
Guzman’s stained-glass themed winter wonderland sketch featuring the Lions Gate Bridge is the winner of Lions Gate Hospital Foundation’s annual Christmas card design contest.
“I wasn’t expecting to win honestly, especially because it was a little last minute,” Guzman said. “I learned [about] the contest happening this year four days prior and finished the night of.”
Every year the Lions Gate Hospital Foundation holds a Christmas card design contest open to North Shore students in Grades 4 to 12 to submit a colourful, festive design highlighting the area. The winning design is put on shelves at local retail outlets and all the proceeds from the card sales support patient care at the hospital.
“The LGH Foundation team was impressed by Christine’s unique design which really caught the eye,” said Louise Campbell, vice president of the foundation. “It captures the magic of Christmas and the beauty of the North Shore.”
Guzman’s design features the Lions Gate Bridge as the focal point with a winter night sky and mountains in the distance. It also displays winter elements such as a blanket of snow on the ground, a snowman and snow on two fir trees.
One of Guzman’s teachers told her about the contest and encouraged her to apply. She spent time at home researching how to create a stained-glass look as she had never done it before, and in two hours it was complete.
Guzman, who competed in the contest in 2022, called her winning piece “A Night of Silence Under Glass Stars” based on her inspiration of stained-glass paintings and the starry night.
“As well as humour to myself for finishing so late,” Guzman said.
In addition to seeing her art in print and on sale, Guzman received a $100 Park Royal gift card. To continue the festive spirit, Guzman said she will most likely spend a bit of her cash prize on gifts for friends and family.
The cards are available for purchase at all Save-On-Foods stores in North Vancouver and the Lions Gate Hospital Foundation office on the main floor of the hospital for $15 for a 10 pack.
All proceeds go towards funding for an enhanced and expanded cancer clinic at the hospital.
Abby Luciano is the Indigenous and civic affairs reporter for the North Shore News. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative. [email protected]
