SILER CITY, N.C. — Natalia Pozos Velasco, a second-year art student at Jordan-Matthews High School, was named winner of the school’s inaugural holiday card art contest during an award presentation on October 22 at Chorus and Coffee and Arts, the school's season-opening concert and reception.

Her painting, “Lighthouse on Christmas Eve,” will appear on holiday cards produced for sale by JMArts, the Jordan-Matthews Arts Foundation, to raise money for JM artists. Pozos Velasco received a certificate and $100 prize for creating the selected work of art.

Holiday cards feature the painting on the front with a blank area inside for personal messages. The back lists the name of the artist and work, along with a very short description of the art.

Preorders for JMArts holiday cards will be accepted starting November 1 at the price of $10 per packet of 12 cards with envelopes. Cards will be on sale soon after that at the NC Arts Incubator in downtown Siler City and Jordan-Matthews High School. Holiday cards also will be available at upcoming JMArts events — including the “Fairytale Character Breakfast” on November 2, “Path to the Woods” art show on November 4 and “Into the Woods” musical on November 14-16.

More information about JMArts, including a schedule of upcoming arts events and information on membership, is available online at JMArts.org.

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Artist Natalia Pozos Velasco, left, and art teacher Rahma Mateen-Mason display “Lighthouse on Christmas Eve,” the painting selected for JMArts holiday cards being sold in November to raise money for arts students at the school. (Photo by Chip Pate)