About a year ago, the Paducah Area Painters Alliance (PAPA) selected the Murray State University Crisp Center in Paducah as the theme and asked artists to submit their entries. Several works of art were submitted to be voted on by the Mayor and Commissioners. “Merry Christmas to All from the MSU-Crisp Center”, a pastel by Dutch Thurman, was selected as this year’s City of Paducah Christmas card. The pastel shows Santa and his reindeer flying over the Crisp Center. The inside of the card reads “Wishing you all the joys of this Christmas season and a prosperous new year.”
Dutch Thurman began painting in 1990 and taking classes at Paducah Community College. Thurman has won awards in the Woman's Club Art Show and the Mayfield/Graves County Impressions Show. Thurman works with oils and pastels with portraits, still lifes, and scenes from around Paducah as her favorite subjects. Dutch and her husband, Charles, own Schmidt Farms in Paducah.