Hallmark artist Mary Hamilton... and Winston Churchill, too!

Yesterday, I acquired the cutest set of Hallmark brand Christmas Thank You cards from a local thrift store and set about researching the artist, who signed herself simply, "Mary". It turns out that Hallmark employed/contracted some pretty interesting people for greeting card designs, including Winston Churchill and Salvador Dali!
Anyway, my "Mary" was Mary Hamilton and, it turns out, is a popular collected Hallmark artist that had a lengthy history with the company. There's a fair amount of info available about her by googling but I particularly enjoyed this article and the 1950s photos that accompanied it. Just thought I'd share.

My cards, featuring one of Mary's beloved bears and some "Christmas Critters":

 

What a delightful and informative article. I wonder how the digital age will affect the greeting card industry...

 

I remember those cuddly Mary cards and illustrations. Sure wish I could take a trip to see the Hallmark art collection.