Ramsey-born artist and ex-IOM Post Office employee Michael Starkey says of his work featured on our six-stamp set...

‘In my paintings I try to capture a moment of time. I work from faded black and white photographs of old buildings and streets that no longer exist and then bring them back in colour with memories and research. I hope the paintings will stimulate conversations about people and places. These Christmas paintings are based on this principle.

I have an image in my mind of that feeling just before the light fades in the winter and the lights in houses start to flicker on and Christmas lights glow in the gloom. At this darkest time of the year this brings hope and comfort to all.’

As our Christmas postal issue, the IOM and UK values of this colourful set are also available in self-adhesive form and available in sheets of 25 or as a 2 stamp set in mint or 'cancelled to order.'

Sheets of 25 self-adhesive mint stamps for postage (38p or 41p value - for local IOM or UK cards and small letters) can be purchased above and delivery is free...

The gummed stamps are in sheets of 20, a sheet set is £108.80 - please contact us if you wish to order a set or individual sheets - illustrated are 'CTO' stamps ('cancelled to order').