The City of Owensboro unveiled its 2025 Christmas card Tuesday night, titled “BLUEgrass Christmas.” The City once again turned to acclaimed local artist Aaron Kizer for the design. This year’s card draws inspiration from the downtown mural he created for the City’s “Illuminate” event.
The mural’s central figure — originally modeled after musician Johnny Depp — is reimagined in a festive holiday scene, complete with Santa, seasonal colors, and the outline of Daviess County in the background. The banjo, bluegrass influence, and bridge imagery remain, keeping the piece rooted in Owensboro’s cultural identity.
Kizer said the concept actually dates back to a recurring thought he had while painting the original mural.
“I always had this idea that every year at Christmas, I was gonna go down there and paint a Santa hat on Johnny Depp,” Kizer said. “Just something fun, then take it off after Christmas, but I knew I’d never have the time. So while I was painting the mural, I thought, Man, I wish I could come down here and make this look like a Christmas scene every year. That was the inspiration. If I could turn the mural into a holiday scene, what would I do?”
The 2025 card answers that question. Kizer said each year’s card forces him to find new inspiration.
“When you do something that’s supposed to represent the city every year, it’s like, how much more do I have to pull from?” he said. “You don’t want to do the same thing over and over. Every year you’ve got to find a new way to approach it.”
Kizer has now designed the City’s Christmas card for the last 8 years. He said creating the official card remains an emotional milestone — one tied closely to his late mother, who passed away last year.
“Growing up, my mom collected the Owensboro Christmas cards every year,” he said. “She’d send me into the science museum to buy them. Back then, Rex Robinson was doing the cards. I remember thinking it’d be so cool if one day I got to do them.”
Kizer said he tends to “play it safe” with the Christmas card, aiming for broad appeal. But this year’s design, he said, may be his favorite yet — and it still carries the soul of the Illuminate mural while adding a festive twist.
“Legitimately, all I did was paint that mural again on a canvas and add Christmas stuff to it,” he said. “But I think it screams Owensboro. I hope people enjoy it.”
Cards will be available for purchase soon, but quantities will be limited. The City of Owensboro will share an update on social media as soon as they’re in stock. Cards will be sold for $2 each at City Hall (101 East 4th Street) during regular business hours, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
