ARE you looking for a late Christmas present that will last all next year?

If so, York illustrator Linda Combi has just produced a fabulous 2014 calendar for York, very different from the usual run-of-the-mill monthly fare.

“I’ve been working from York as an illustrator for many years, but rarely get an opportunity to depict my own adopted city,” she says.

“York is full of iconic characters, historic and contemporary.

“I wanted to engage with these characters and also celebrate the city’s venues, from Cross’s, the Newgate market fishmongers, to Bettys cafe. The calendar is a record of the many highlights of a year in York.”

In Linda’s words: “January marks the New Year celebrations, featuring revellers at the Minster; February is a lovey-dovey couple at Bettys cafe, romancing over a Fat Rascal; March is a spring clean-up with Barnitts customers.

“April shows the city walls with daffs and a Roman soldier; May is a lady with ice cream in the Museum Gardens; and June shows typical hen partygoers cavorting with the Stonegate Devil, with bouncers somewhere in Micklegate.”

Linda’s year continues with July’s depiction of Erik Bloodaxe sailing down the Ouse on a York Red Boat. “August is of course about the Ebor race meeting, but features famous horse Frankel and rider Dick Turpin,” she says.

“September has Cross’s fish stall during the crab season; October shows the very funny Ghost Hunt leader; November features Guy Fawkes busking dangerously with dynamite; and December has to be the Theatre Royal panto and the wonderful Berwick Kaler.”

The calendar costs £10 and can be bought direct from Linda via linda@combi.wanadoo.co.uk, whereupon she will post it to you.

Alternatively, it is on sale at The Golden Ball community-run pub in Cromwell Road, Bishophill, York, from this week, as well as at Blossom Street Gallery and Pyramid Gallery in Stonegate.

Looking ahead to Linda’s own 2014, she says: “I’ll be exhibiting at York Open Studios 2014 on April 5 to 7 and will be in the directory then, with directions and information on our venue,” she says.

“There’s also a small show of York Icons and the images from the calendar at The Golden Ball pub in January but those dates are yet to be confirmed with the organisers.” Watch this space for an update.