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Christmas Pathway Of Peace

Every year one-of-a-kind ornaments are made by ordinary Americans to hang on 56 trees – one for every U.S. state, territory and the District of Columbia – that surround the National Christmas Tree. Artists and volunteers have given their time and talents to design and create tree ornaments that symbolize the history, heritage and culture of their homelands.

• Alabama

  Alabama

  • Artist: Kristin C.Law
  • Sponsors:Black Belt Treasures' Art Program students from Camden School of Arts & Technology, Camden Christian Academy, Morgan Academy, and Wilcox Academy
  • About: Alabama's ornaments were designed and created by 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students from the Black Belt area of Alabama. Working with Black Belt Treasures' arts education program, artist Kristin Law selected the students from Dallas and Wilcox County's Camden School of Arts & Technology, Camden Christian Academy, Morgan Academy, and Wilcox Academy. Alabama's rich cultural heritage, specifically its historic, folk art, and contemporary quilts, were the inspiration for this year's hand painted ornaments. The students learned about the history of quilting in Alabama from early settlers, to their significance in the Underground Railroad, to the nationally acclaimed Gee's Bend quilts, to their use in contemporary art and storytelling – with all agreeing they gained an appreciation for their region's cultural heritage and textile arts.
• Alaska

  Alaska

  • Artist: Sonia Pullins
  • Sponsors:Sonia's Art Studio, home school art class
  • About: Made by Sonia's Art Studio, home school art class. These ornaments were made using a paper art form called quilling. Although not an original American art form, it has been practiced in the United States since the Colonial era. Home schooled students from Sonia's Art Studio in Anchorage, Alaska, under the direction of artist Sonia Pullins, designed images that reflect nature, history and activities that we enjoy in our great state.
• American Samoa

  American Samoa

  • Artist: Department of Education and South Pacific Academy
  • Sponsors:Combined High School Art Classes
  • About: American Samoa's ornaments were designed and created by High School art students from Leone, Tafuna, Samoana, Nu'uuli Vocational Technical, Fagaitua public schools and the South Pacific Academy. Their inspiration was Samoa's natural beauty and diverse culture, land and seascapes. The students also wanted to show American Samoa's commitment to environmental issues and therefore chose to use recycled materials to create many of the ornaments. This was an exciting project for both the students and teachers who worked many hours, both during and after school. American Samoa is a small United States territory located south of the equator next to the international dateline.
• Arizona

  Arizona

  • Artist: Christy Puetz
  • Sponsors:Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona youth participants
  • About: Arizona's ornaments were conceived by artist Christy Puetz and created and designed by youth participants in Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona's programs.Youth were asked to draw from their personal experiences in Arizona along with inspiration from Arizona's most iconic creatures and landscapes. Ornaments were constructed out of clay and then painted.Free Arts for Abused Children of Arizona uses a wide variety of arts as therapeutic tools to help heal abused, homeless, and at-risk children.
• Arkansas

  Arkansas

  • Artist: Sharon Boyd-Struthers
  • Sponsors:Rockefeller Elementary students
  • About: The ornaments are assemblage, using tooling metal, natural Arkansas resources and mixed media.Our focus included the legacy that (late Governor) Winthrop Rockefeller left our state, having initiated great social and economic strides, which make our state, a most grand one, what it is today.

• California

  California

  • Artist: Brino Ism and The Imagine Bus Project
  • Sponsors:Sierra Youth Center
  • About: California's ornaments were designed and created by adjudicated young women participating in The Imagine Bus Project's Youth Studio program at the Sierra Youth Center. The young women chose the theme "California Dreaming," to represent their state.The ornaments were hand painted with symbols from the era of the sixties - the peace symbol, hearts, palm trees, sunshine and stars to represent the cultural and political trends of California. "When Brino told me about the Christmas tree ornaments project I was very excited, I could not believe my class was picked. This is the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me." - Bethany, age 16.
    The Imagine Bus Project is a nonprofit arts organization serving at-risk K-12 students throughout the Bay Area.
• Colorado

  Colorado

  • Artist: Xi Zhang and Platform 5280, Biennial of the Americas
  • Sponsors:PlatteForum's ArtLab students and STRIVE Prep 7th grade "Dreamers"
  • About: Colorado's 2012 ornaments were designed in celebration of the upcoming Biennial of the Americas, hosted in Denver July 16-October 1, 2013. These abstract ornaments were designed by Denver-based artist Xi Zhang and created in a workshop with middle and high school students. The ornaments reflect the art scene within Colorado, and the diversity of Colorado's natural beauty, including the 300 days of sun per year, the changing seasons, and the many types of wildlife within the state.The project brought together the local artist, students involved with PlatteForum, a local youth-development and arts enrichment organization, and Platform 5280, Biennial of the Americas, in a fun and rewarding after school program.
• Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

  Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

  • Artist: Joe and Sandy Weaver
  • Sponsors:Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School
  • About: NMI's ornaments were designed and created by student leadership and Binadu Ambassadors under the direction of Joe and Sandy Weaver at Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School in Saipan. The designs reflect the beautiful sceneries and abundance of natural resources of the islands. Sand, shells and plumeria flowers are some of the natural materials commonly found around the island landscape. The ornaments also showcase the symbols that make the NMI unique. The Star, the Latte Stone, the flowers that make up the Mwar Mwar and colors that represent our pristine blue waters and green environment. Gregorio T. Camacho Elementary School is the northern most elementary school in the Northern Mariana Islands with a population of 210 students and is led by Principal Charlotte DLG Camacho.
• Connecticut

  Connecticut

  • Artist: Christine Bender Webster and Connecticut Office of the Arts Directory
  • Sponsors:Middletown High art students
  • About: Connecticut's ornaments were designed and created by Middletown High School art students under the direction of Connecticut Office of the Arts Directory Artist, Christine Webster. This year's ornaments reflect the concept of our state's new brand, "Connecticut É still revolutionary" which highlights Connecticut's natural beauty, rich history and sustained culture of creativity and innovation throughout its 169 cities, towns, and villages. Each of the 24 ornaments holds personal meaning and is unique to its designer, and illustrates what the student artist loves about Connecticut from America's first banjo factory to the last wooden whaling ship at Mystic Seaport, to their current time football and basketball sports heroes – the UCONN Huskies.
• Delaware

  Delaware

  • Artist: Stephanie Morton
  • Sponsors:Kuumba Academy Charter School
  • About: Holiday ornaments representing the great state of Delaware were researched, designed and created by students in the 2nd through 5th grades at Kuumba Academy Charter School.Inspiration for the ornaments came from the natural beauty, diverse landscape, agriculture and history of our beautiful state. A variety of materials were used, including recycled and found objects, reflecting our commitment to preserving our environment. This project was both fun and educational for students and teacher alike. We worked many hours after school to create our contribution to the National Christmas Tree display. Kuumba Academy Charter School is an elementary school focused on Expeditionary Learning, located in the heart of Wilmington, DE, serving grades Kindergarten through 5th.

• District of Columbia

  District of Columbia

  • Artist: Patricia Smith
  • Sponsors:Ideal Academy Public Charter School
  • About: The 2012 Washington, DC Christmas tree ornaments were designed and created by a group of wonderfully talented middle school students from Ideal Academy PCS in collaboration with The DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. The ornament theme is rooted in a strong love and appreciation for our city and the amazing attractions and history it offers visitors and residents alike. Using origami style designs in the shape of stars, snowflakes, orbs and hearts, we showcase national monuments, people and neighborhoods that signify the vibrancy and rich diversity of our nation's capital. In keeping with the Christmas spirit, the students of Ideal Academy took great pleasure in adorning the ornaments with frosty paint, glitter and jewels to make them shimmer, sparkle and shine!
• Florida

  Florida

  • Artist: Janeen Mason
  • Sponsors:Jensen Beach High School AP Art Students
  • About: Warm sun is shining on our ripening oranges here in Florida while these iconic ornaments dance in the chilly Washington, D.C., winter.
    Janeen Mason and the students from Jensen Beach High School selected the orange as a token to welcome out-of-state visitors.
    (They are made of polymer clay, and finished with a two part waterproof clear coat).In 2013 our state will commemorate the
    500th anniversary of Ponce de Leon's landing in St. Augustine with VIVA FLORIDA 500.Come on down, and we'll squeeze a
    fresh glass of juice just for you. This project was made possible with support from the Arts Council, Inc., serving Stuart and
    Martin County, Florida, and SubSeaSpearguns.com
• Georgia

  Georgia

  • Artist: Cindy Murphy, Susan Adams and Elise Hammond
  • Sponsors:Youth Students of the Southern Heartland Arts, Inc., Covington
  • About: Georgia's ornaments were designed by Cindy Murphy and created by the youth students of Elise Hammond and Susan Adams. The theme this year is 25 years of Georgia's wildlife conservation.The ornament features the state of Georgia, a shiny number 25 signifying a bright future and a mosaic of textures that reference 25 years of success stories of Georgia's wildlife. The students were thrilled and honored and had so much fun working on the project for four weeks. Southern Heartland Arts Guild is a non-profit dedicated to promoting the visual arts in the community through art instruction, educational scholarship and exhibition of fine art.
• Guam

  Guam

  • Artist: Saina Minagof
  • Sponsors:Hurao Academy
  • About: Huråo Academy Guam is a non-profit organization group. We provide services for students ages 3to 12. It is a Chamoru Immersion School which teaches the students to speak and know their language and culture. The students/teachers made the ornaments focusing on the theme "Chamoru tradition and culture of Guam". The students were inspired by their studies on the Chamoru history, their surroundings in the present time and what they have learned about their culture and traditions throughout the previous years.
• Hawaii

  Hawaii

  • Artist: Kahi Ching and John Nippolt
  • Sponsors:Kalani Visual Arts Crew
  • About: It's an honor to be selected and have the good fortune to mentor talented student artists from Kalani high school, whose work will represent Hawaii in the nation's capitol.We are really excited to be a part of the National Christmas Tree display to celebrate our island National Parks whose natural beauty provides extraordinary destinations both historical and cultural. We are proud of the wonderful ornaments created by our hard-working crew. Almost all of our National Parks were represented and all the work reflects our "Hawaiian Eye."
    The variety of mediums we used to create the Hawaiian Island Christmas decorations, musical, cultural, and spiritual include: wood, fiber, paper, sand, co-co nut husks, clay, paper mache`, plaster, poly-rag, plastic, foam core, hot glue, acrylic paint, beads, string, and glitter.

• Idaho

  Idaho

  • Artist: Brett Schwieder
  • Sponsors:Idaho Falls Youth Arts Centre and Idaho Falls High School
  • About: Youth representatives from Idaho Falls Youth Arts Centre (IFYAC) and two woodshop classes from Idaho Falls High School created Idaho's ornaments. The inspiration for the ornaments came from symbols and landscapes that define Idaho. Wood was chosen for the first ten ornaments to represent the majestic forests that make up a large part of Idaho. While the other 14 ornaments used mirrors to reflect the awe and wonder that light embodies.This project was exciting and rewarding with many hours spent in its completion.IFYAC is a non-profit organization that helps provide youth with opportunities to enrich their lives through music, dramatic arts and creative movement. Brett Schwieder and Andrew McAteer are both teachers at Idaho Falls High School.
• Illinois

  Illinois

  • Artist: Marco Basurto and ArtsPlace Apprentices
  • Sponsors:Rockford Area Arts Council's ArtsPlace Apprenticeship Program>
  • About: Illinois' ornaments were designed and created by sculpture artist, Marco Basurto, and apprentices from the Rockford Area Arts Council's ArtsPlace program. They were inspired by local and state landmarks. Marco challenged the youth to use recycled materials for the project, and spent hours working with them in his studio, and coaching them through social media. ArtsPlace apprenticeship program is for youth ages 14-18 and its mission is mentoring youth development through the arts. The Rockford Area Arts Council has sponsored ArtsPlace for seventeen years through the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts, the Illinois Arts Council, Illinois Department of Human Services, the City of Rockford, Winnebago County, the Rockford Park District, the United Way, Northern Illinois Community Foundation, and individual donors. The ArtsPlace program is honored to represent the home state of our President.
• Indiana

  Indiana

  • Artist: Heather Miller Foundation For Art and Music in Education (FAME)
  • Sponsors:
  • About: Students representing a variety of schools in northeast Indiana stepped out into nature at the Fox Island County Park in Allen County. The inspiring setting filled with warm fall colors, crunching leaves, and the crisp scent of autumn were used to stimulate the senses as students set off to create vibrant watercolor paintings. Under the direction of the Foundation for Arts and Music in Education, the paintings were created, collected, and assembled into clear globes, with each student choosing bits of natural material to add finishing touches.
• Iowa

  Iowa

  • Artist: Public Space One
  • Sponsors:Iowa Youth Writing Project
  • About: A team of artists from Public Space One (an Iowa City community arts entity) collaborated with the Iowa Youth Writing Project (an outreach program created by graduates of the famed Iowa Writers' Workshop) to conceptualize and complete 24 gourds for use as ornaments for the Iowa national tree. The gourds were chosen as a medium to represent Iowa's strong agricultural community while avoiding the obvious choice of corn (don't worry, it is still represented). The content of the ornaments was developed in a series of writing prompts based on Iowa research spanning from the field of literary tradition, to technological innovation, to agricultural prowess (with a healthy dose of state pride). The gourds were completed with paint, collage, and text, with these art ingredients forming a "recipe for Iowa."
• Kansas

  Kansas

  • Artist: Anita Wolgast and Cindy Rogers
  • Sponsors:Washburn Univ. 150 Comm. and Quincy Elementary, Topeka
  • About: The 2012 ornaments by the After School Art Class of Quincy Elementary School in Topeka are made of Kansas wheat. Emphasizing that Kansas is known as "The Wheat State" as a leading producer of wheat,Anita Wolgast worked with the students, teaching them to create a rope twist of 12 straws, then shaping the rope twist into various shapes, leaving the wheat heads intact.The children learned that a valuable grain of the field could also be transformed into a work of art.Anita Wolgast was assisted by Brandi Youse of Washburn University Foundation.

• Kentucky

  Kentucky

  • Artist: Valera Brooks
  • Sponsors:Marshall County High School, Benton Middle School, and South Marshall Middle School
  • About: Kentucky's ornaments were designed by students in the middle and high schools of Marshall County School District. Since Kentucky is filled with beautiful mountains, lakes, and rivers we chose to use these natural features as our inspiration.We also wanted to call attention to Kentucky's history and traditions such as the Kentucky Derby. Bentonand South Marshall Middle School 7th and 8th graders created half of the ornaments as an after schoolproject while Marshall County High School students created the other half. The students worked with the Marshall County Arts Commission in connection with the Kentucky Arts Council.
• Louisiana

  Louisiana

  • Artist: Josephine Busse
  • Sponsors:Legacy Elementary School
  • About: First Lady Supriya Jindal selected artist Josephine Busse of Arboth in West Baton Rouge and students from Legacy Elementary School in Bossier City, Louisiana to create the National 2012 Louisiana Christmas tree ornament. Inspiration for the ornament came from both Louisiana's official symbol, the Fleur de Lis, and Louisiana's Bicentennial that was celebrated on April 30, 2012. Thus, the ornament's theme is "Believe in Louisiana." Mrs. Jindal strongly encourages students all across the state to believe in Louisiana because Louisiana truly believes in them.
• Maine

  Maine

  • Artist: The Art Department
  • Sponsors:Creative Trails
  • About: Maine's ornaments were created by over 30 artists at The Art Department, a Portland based nonprofit outsider art gallery, studio, and digital media program for artists with intellectual and developmental uniqueness. The artists spent over 2 months creating ornaments based on their own diverse memories and experiences of holidays in Maine. From baking moose shaped cookies, to visiting Acadia National Park, the artists tried to relay their own unique vision of their beautiful state.
• Maryland

  Maryland

  • Artist: Bradford Sweet
  • Sponsors:Lindale Middle School, Linthicum
  • About: The art club at Lindale Middle School is an after school program for 6th through 8th graders. The young artists worked with sculptor Bradford Sweet and art teacher Bernadette Cole in order to create miniature birdhouses of their favorite places in Maryland. The students researched their ideas and utilized tools to cut out their own designs. The pieces are created from a variety of materials including paints, moss, and ribbon to represent our state flag!
• Massachusetts

  Massachusetts

  • Artist: Nate Risteen, Alanna Schull and Deb Smook
  • Sponsors:ArtWorks! Partners for the Arts and Community, Inc.
  • About: State of Massachusetts ornaments were designed and created by two groups of youth participating in ArtWorks! Partners for the Arts and Community, Inc., a non-profit community arts organization that provides in-school and out-of -schoolarts education programming and exhibitions to support the residents and artists of Southeastern Massachusetts.
    The ornaments containing suspended clay objects are created by 7th -12th grade art students from Whaling City Alternative Junior/ Senior High School who participate in clay classes twice weekly at ArtWorks! ceramic studio.
    The watercolor painting ornaments are the creations from an after-school program, "Artistic Traditions of the World" for children ages 6-10. Both groups learn about the New Bedford Whaling National Historic Park and experience the rich historical and cultural
    resources first hand. ArtWorks! is located within the national park. Students learn about the National Park and the history, architecture, art, cultures and significant contributions of people of note of New Bedford through tours and lectures by the Whaling National Historic Park Rangers, park volunteers and ArtWorks! art educators and staff.

• Michigan

  Michigan

  • Artist: John Cox and students
  • Sponsors:West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology
  • About: Michigan's ornaments were designed and created by high school students who attend West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology (WMCAT). The inspiration was the natural beauty, including the flora and fauna of Michigan, as well as the great inventions and entertainment that Michigan residents have to offer the world.WMCAT's youth arts program ignites the imaginations of young minds through after-school programs for high school students that cultivate awareness of art and design as well as a passion for learning.  
    The West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology's mission is to provide a culture of opportunity for people to create social and economic progress in their lives and community.
• Minnesota

  Minnesota

  • Artist: KNOCK, Inc
  • Sponsors:Juxtaposition Arts
  • About: Every year, the National Christmas Tree Lighting in Washington, D.C. is the official kickoff of the holiday festivities and for the third year in a row, the Minnesota ornament was co-designed by KNOCK! We turned to the younger generation for energy and inspiration, buddying up with artists at Juxtaposition Arts for the second time, a local hands on visual art and design organization that provides education, jobs training and mentorship. The result: three different paper geometric shapes suspended in glass bubbles, each uniquely decorated and assembled, all handmade from the heart of Minnesota.
• Mississippi

  Mississippi

  • Artist: Roberto Bonilla
  • Sponsors:Mississippi School of the Arts (MSA)
  • About: The Mississippi School of the Arts (MSA) is a residential art school for 11th and 12th grade students located in Brookhaven, MS. This is the third time that MSA has had the honor of designing ornaments for the National Christmas Tree display.Drawing 1 students spent a week researching interesting facts, people and landmarks from their state, then used that information to decorate the ornaments. The topics range from magnolia trees and Elvis to space shuttles and dolphins.
    Each design was sketched on the surface of the globe and then painted with acrylic paint.
• Missouri

  Missouri

  • Artist: Sara Cramer and Jennifer Short
  • Sponsors:Center Middle School
  • About: Missouri's ornaments were designed and created by art students from the 7th and 8th grades at Center Middle School in Kansas City, Missouri through the facilitation and instruction of Sara Cramer and Jennifer Short. Students chose the theme, "Show Me Missouri" to represent what they each were proud of from their home state. From nature, to historic landmarks, to famous citizens, each student sketched their ideas out first and then used polymer clay to create three-dimensional pieces that reflected their theme. Each clay piece was then glued inside of the ornament along with a papier mache background. The end result is a scene depicting their Missouri theme.
• Montana

  Montana

  • Artist: Artists in Residence at the Archie Bray Foundation for the Ceramic Arts
  • Sponsors:Capital High School Advanced Ceramic Students
  • About: Montana's ornaments were designed and created by the artists in residence at the Archie Bray Foundation for Ceramic Arts along with advanced ceramic students from Capital High School in Helena, Montana. Helena and the Archie Bray Foundation have a long history in ceramic arts which is why we chose to make this year's ornaments hand-made ceramic mugs. The mugs were constructed by both the students and residents. The artists exchanged mugs with one another and decorated them by carving, glazing or applying overglaze decals. The ornaments were designed to reflect the natural beauty and holiday season of Montana. This project was a wonderful opportunity to connect professional artists with art students in the community and we feel privileged to be a part of the holiday festivities at the White House.

• Nebraska

  Nebraska

  • Artist: Aileen Wiles
  • Sponsors:Lancaster County Youth Services Center
  • About: Nebraska's ornaments, created by some of the girls detained at the Lancaster County Youth Services Center, reflect the partnership formulated between the LUX Center for the Arts and these at-risk youth as art classes are brought to them, a result of community and state priorities toward positive futures for all our youth. Aileen Wiles burned images on wood that represented Nebraska. The girls then used watercolors to paint the images and create colorful designs for the backs. Wiles is a teaching artist for LUX Center for the Arts which provides art classes two times per week for youth living at the center.
• Nevada

  Nevada

  • Artist: VSA arts of Nevada and Susan Sullivan
  • Sponsors:Vaughn Middle and Dodson Elementary Schools
  • About: Nevada's ornaments were created by students from Vaughn Middle and Dodson Elementary Schools.The inspiration for the ornaments came from two Nevada state symbols, the Mountain Bluebird and Sagebrush.The materials used for the 3-dimensional ornaments included an armature, foil, paint, and glitter.The student artists wereinstructed by VSA arts of Nevada's art instructor Susan Sullivan. VSA arts of Nevada is a statewide non-profit whose main mission is providing arts programming for ALL ages and ALL abilities focusing on children and adults with disabilities as well as the general public.
• New Hampshire

  New Hampshire

  • Artist: Emile Birch and Cynthia Cummings-Birch
  • Sponsors:Indian River School
  • About: The theme of New Hampshire's ornaments address the beauty of the White Mountains and the variety of winter activities that abound here in the northeast. An adjacent theme is the rural culture that is nurtured with the many communities in our state. The ornaments are three-dimensional sculptures constructed of matte board and acrylic paint that are accented with the white glitter of snow and gold and silver details. The sculptures were created by 6th and 7th grade students at the Indian River School, which is a middle school serving students in grades 5-8 in the small town of Canaan, New Hampshire.
• New Jersey

  New Jersey

  • Artist: Daniel Fenelon
  • Sponsors:Morristown High School Mentoring Program
  • About: The New Jersey ornaments were designed by Dan Fenelon and the students from the Morristown High School Mentoring Program. They are inspired by symbols and landmarks of the garden state and also by Dan's tribal style artwork. During the process of making the ornaments, our state was struck by one of the most devastating hurricanes in our history. At that point the project took on a different meaning. The goal became to complete the ornaments no matter what it took as a show of pride in our great state. Although I was cut off from my students and the wind raged outside, eventually by battery and candlelight the final touches were put onto the ornaments. Now, to us, they are a symbol of "Jersey Strong".
• New Mexico

  New Mexico

  • Artist: Melinda Baker
  • Sponsors:Fine Arts for Children and Teens
  • About: New Mexico's ornaments were designed and created by Kindergarten through 6th grade artists as a part of Fine Arts for Children and Teens' (FACT) After School ARTclub program at one of FACT's community studios in Santa Fe. Students created these playful extra-terrestrial and alien spacecraft themed ornaments to represent the New Mexico's mysterious relationship with UFOs and the Roswell incident of 1947 that captured the imagination of a nation and became a widely-known pop-culture phenomenon. Students worked with FACT instructor Melinda Baker and First Gentleman of New Mexico Chuck Franco to create their aliens and UFOs out of sculpey clay. Fine Arts for Children and Teens is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in Santa Fe committed to introducing young people to the power of art. FACT brings life-changing visual arts experiences to more than 2700 youth ages five to 18 across Northern New Mexico, with an emphasis on bringing arts-learning opportunities to under served areas.

• New York

  New York

  • Artist: Nina C. Lasky
  • Sponsors:Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts
  • About: New York's ornaments were created by students from the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. The project was lead by artist and assistant principal Nina Lasky, a native New Yorker and Alum of the school.The artists were inspired by the Statue of Liberty that dawns the Manhattan skyline. The statue is a symbol of freedom to Americans as well as millions of people around the world. The students were moved by the symbols of the seven rays on her crown representing each of the seven continents and by the broken shackles of oppression and tyranny that lie at her feet. By creating these ornaments from the inside out, we hoped to reflect the core values of New York and the nation at large.
• North Carolina

  North Carolina

  • Artist: Bryant Holsenbeck
  • Sponsors:Rogers Herr Middle School, Durham
  • About: Winter Birds of North Carolina. I was fortunate to work with Joanne Andrews and students of Rogers Herr Middle School to make some of the birds of our state.First the students picked a bird, researched it and drew pictures of it. Using recycled cardboard the students then made a 3-dimesional bird and covered it with paste paper. The birds they made represent those we see in our backyards, woods and gardens in our state during the winter.
• North Dakota

  North Dakota

  • Artist: Eva Branvold
  • Sponsors:Grade 7 Students at Midway Public School
  • About: North Dakota's ornaments were created by the 7th grade art students from Midway Public School.Midway is a small rural K- 12 school that sits alone on the prairie in N.E. North Dakota. Inspiration came from the book "If You're Not From the Prairie," by David Bouchard and Henry Ripplinger which perfectly describes and illustrates the beauty of the North Dakota landscape. The students built the miniature replicas of farmhouses, windmills, grain bins and mail boxes from wood and tin. Trees were created from silk flower wire stems. Fences and clothes lines were made from tiny wooden dowels and wire. Fake snow and tin foil transformed some of the globes into frozen winter wonderlands. Teacher and students felt it was a great honor to be chosen to represent our beautiful state in this way.
• Ohio

  Ohio

  • Artist: Thad Ricker and Dan Gerdeman
  • Sponsors:Hilliard Davidson High School's Advanced Art Students
  • About: The ornaments for the Ohio Tree were created by two art teachers, Dan Gerdeman and Thad Ricker, and some of their students at Hilliard Davidson High School. Dan and Thad worked with selected advanced art students coming from Art Club, the Portfolio course and an advanced Photography course. The individual students were selected based on proposed ideas, communicated through sketches and writing. The students were to draw their inspiration from the memories and traditions that are a part of their families' holiday celebrations. No two ornaments are the same, and many of the ornaments were created by two students.
• Oklahoma

  Oklahoma

  • Artist: Ronda Roush Studios and Michele Clancy
  • Sponsors:East Central Junior High School, Tulsa
  • About: Oklahoma's ornaments were designed and created by advanced art students from East Central Junior High School in Tulsa, under the direction of teacher Michele Clancy. Each student chose the icon they wanted to celebrate most, and worked independently to see their piece to the finish. The students used a pop art theme featuring different icons and important relics about the state of Oklahoma. The ornaments are a mixed media combination of ceramic, paper, found objects, and textural paint.

• Oregon

  Oregon

  • Artist: Dean Mattson
  • Sponsors:North Salem High School/Woodworking Class
  • About: Oregon's ornaments were designed by the cabinet making class and hand carved on a lathe in the woodshop.The ornaments are a tribute to Oregon's tree, lumber and woodworking industry. The ornaments were designed by the students with a consistent height requirement, and each student was free to design their own style of tree unique to their own artistic vision. Mr. Mattson's woodworking class collaborated with Ms. Narkus's art class in the painting of the trees.
• Pennsylvania

  Pennsylvania

  • Artist: Renata L. Kagle
  • Sponsors:Capital Area School for the Arts
  • About: Pennsylvania's ornaments were designed and created by the 9th - 12th grade visual art students from the Capital Area School for the Arts in Harrisburg, PA. Their inspiration came from our State Capitol which is located next door to our arts school. As the focal point of the design, the students used drawings of our Capitol Building and interior which were done at the beginning of this school year. The natural elements that surround the images represent the natural beauty that surrounds our capital city as well as our Commonwealth's local, state and national parks. There are state parks in 61 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties, which means there is a state park within 25 miles of nearly every resident in our Commonwealth.
• Puerto Rico

  Puerto Rico

  • Artist: Department of Education- Art Workshops
  • Sponsors:Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico
  • About: Puerto Rico's ornaments were designed and created by our talented art students between the ages of 8 and 11. Their inspiration was our traditional three wise men. In Puerto Rico, our devotion to the three wise men is not only a religious expression, but also a symbol of our unified national identity.
• Rhode Island

  Rhode Island

  • Artist: Christina Miles
  • Sponsors:RISD's Project Open Door Program
  • About: What better way to represent Rhode Island, the Ocean State, than a boat in a bottle? Project Open Door, a community arts program supported by the Rhode Island School of Design, draws creative urban teens from under-resourced public schools across the state. They participate in art classes and build a portfolio of work to prepare for college. Artist in Residence Christina Miles had these students create stained glass sailboats for this ornament design project. Christina teaches art and has been working in stained glass for 10 years. Through this project, the teens learned all the elements of making a stained glass piece—from cutting glass to joining the pieces together with solder.
• South Carolina

  South Carolina

  • Artist: Arianne King Comer and VSA South Carolina
  • Sponsors:Students from Gregg Mathis Charter School
  • About: The South Carolina ornaments were designed and created by a multi-generational group in North Charleston facilitated by (Very Special Arts) VSA South Carolina, affiliated with the Kennedy Center. The group included: artists; high school students with disabilities from 2 schools in North Charleston; senior citizens from the surrounding community; disabled vets and The Red Hat Ladies!The inspiration of the ornament designs came from local artisan and black-smith, Philip Simmons (June 9, 1912 -June 22, 2009). When Mr. Simmons began his career in Charleston he made practical, everyday household objects out of wrought iron. By the time he retired 77 years later, the craft was considered an art form. Samples of Simmons' work, including decorative iron gates can be seen throughout the city of Charleston and the entire low country. His pieces are displayed at the Smithsonian, SC State Museum, Paris, and China! The images used on the ornaments; the palmetto tree, sacred heart, fish, egret, etc. all pay homage to South Carolina's native son, Mr. Philip Simmons.

• South Dakota

  South Dakota

  • Artist: Darwin Wolf
  • Sponsors:Newell School H.O.P.E. After School Program (Harvesting Opportunities to Promote Education)
  • About: The winters in South Dakota can be brutal but also beautiful. We've learned to make the most of them and creativity is never lacking. So, the students at Newell High School and Jr. High sent you all some snowmen.Or should we say snow figures, representing our agriculture, wildlife, national monuments and all the other things that make our state great. Come see us sometime and we'll make these life-size for you!
• Tennessee

  Tennessee

  • Artist: Amanda Byleen, Ann Holm, Erin Rothwell and Tarri Driver
  • Sponsors:Monroe Carell, Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt
  • About: The ornaments were crafted by the children at Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville, Tennessee. Each child showcased their creativity by decorating smaller plastic ornaments using an array of mediums including: glitter, foam letters, paint and paint pens, tissue paper, pom poms, and faux snow. The Child Life team then hung the individual ornaments inside of the larger plastic ornaments provided. Each ornament was topped off with a red ribbon and a set of the iconic Vanderbilt Children's Hospital red paper dolls, a recognizable symbol of the top-quality, family-centered care of the hospital.
• Texas

  Texas

  • Artist: Rainey and the Teen Intensive Studio Program (Advanced Students)
  • Sponsors:Southwest School of Art, San Antonio
  • About: The ornaments for the tree representing the state of Texas were designed and created by students in the Southwest School of Art (San Antonio, TX) Teen Intensive Studio program, also referred to as Bee Nation. The Teen Intensive Studio is an engaging after-school program providing a serious learning environment for talented teens with a focus on building a solid visual art foundation.Advanced students of this program, led by artist Rainey, selected the theme of Texas birds for the design of the ornaments to represent Texas for the National Christmas Tree Display. The students sketched studies of birds before making their final selection for the ornaments. Working on three base-ground colors, the final designs were realistically painted using oil paints.
• Utah

  Utah

  • Artist: Noem’ Ver—nica Hern‡ndez- Balc‡zar
  • Sponsors:Kearns High School
  • About: Utah's ornaments were designed and created by 10th through 12th grade art students from Kearns High School. The inspiration came from all things that surround us and make Utah a great place to live: flora, fauna, the outdoors, the landscapes, our history and the heart of our Utah people. Working on this project was an honor for both the students and teacher who worked many hours on the conception and creation of this project. We learned a lot about our state researching about Utah's richness. We want to thank Ms. Shannon Coons' English class for helping us write the poetry that adds to the meaning of our sculptures. Kearns High School serves the Kearns area in Salt Lake City.
• Vermont

  Vermont

  • Artist: Courtney Bridges
  • Sponsors:Young Adult Leadership Awardees, The Vermont Youth in Transition Grant
  • About: Vermont's ornaments were imagined and created by young adults (ages 16-21) that have been recognized as a Young Adult Leader though the Vermont Youth in Transition SAMHSA grant. The young adults wanted to showcase "Winter in Vermont". The materials range from sparkles, to branches and maple leaves. The Vermont Youth in Transition Grant is a statewide Grant that has supported over 316 young adults in transition.

• Virgin Islands

  Virgin Islands

  • Artist: Students of Ms. Julius' 4th period Basic Art Class
  • Sponsors:Bertha C. Boschulte Middle School
  • About: The ornaments were made from fabric, lace, trim, oak tag paper, tissue paper, glitter and ribbon. The idea for the ornaments was developed entirely by the students with some assistance from the teacher, Ms. Julius.
    The idea focused on the culture and flair of our islands. The students wanted to show what makes the Virgin Islands special and unique. The class is composed of 12 students that range in age from 12 to 13. The ornaments first started out on paper as a rough draft and then were created into their 3- dimensional forms. The students chose the steel pans, the mocko jumbi, the hibiscus and a gift box from the Virgin Islands as their themes.
• Virginia

  Virginia

  • Artist: M. Louise Dawkins
  • Sponsors:National ART Honor Society and Norview High School
  • About: Artist and art teacher, Louise Dawkins taught the students the art of working with tooling foil and the metalsmithing technique of repouss
• Washington

  Washington

  • Artist: Karla Tripoli
  • Sponsors:8th grade US History Class at Seattle Christian School, SeaTac
  • About: Washington's ornaments were designed and created by 8th grade students from Seattle Christian School. Their inspiration was Seattle's amazing architectural buildings as well as Washington's natural beauty and diverse landscape. Each student created their own unique ornament by incorporating a symbol or feature from Washington State as well as incorporating the Christmas theme. This was an exciting project for both the students and their History teacher.Seattle Christian School is a K-12th grade campus that is located in the Seattle suburban area.
• West Virginia

  West Virginia

  • Artist: Nanette Seligman and Mountain Made Studios
  • Sponsors:Kenneth "Honey" Rubenstein Center
  • About: Working with the potter and National Board Certified Teacher Nanette Seligman, the students at the Kenneth "Honey" Rubenstein Center brainstormed ideas that represented West Virginia and then researched images that communicated their ideas. They focused on the beauty of and the activities in their state. Next they created clay molds at the local Mountain Made Studios. After local artist Lori Haldeman bisque fired the clay molds, the student returned to the studios to use the molds to create the ornaments; one to send to Washington D.C. and extras to take home or give as gifts. The process taught the students the many facets of craft production. Mountain Made Studios are connected with Mountain Made Gallery in Thomas, WV. Mountain Made Studios provides art opportunities for the community with its open studios and craft classes. The Kenneth "Honey" Rubenstein Center is a West Virginia State Juvenile Treatment Facility.
• Wisconsin

  Wisconsin

  • Artist: Ann Garity
  • Sponsors:Children and Grandchildren of U.S. Veterans and WI Department of Veterans Affairs
  • About: Wisconsin's ornament was designed by artist Ann Garity and created by the children and grandchildren of United States Veterans. This is the "Year of the Veteran". Each ornament is covered in white glitter to represent Wisconsin's winter snow with the state of Wisconsin used as a window into the reason so many visit our state, the beauty of our seasons. Blues, greens and yellows for spring. Bright purples, pinks, and yellows for summer and reds, oranges, and yellows for fall. Our soldiers are always quietly in the background, waiting until they are needed to defend and protect the citizens of our country. To honor their sacrifice and service, a soldier's silhouette on a bent knee was placed in the background, behind the color.Each ornament is finished with a red, white and blue ribbon. Thank you to Carla Vigue, Wisconsin Department of Veteran Affairs and Carolyn Morgan, Women Veteran Outreach Coordinator for choosing the amazing children that took part in this event and Evan Bradbury for the use of Bright Red Studio to gather the children. Finally, a special thank you to Annette and Joey Yoshizumi, Pat Mattie, Mary Atkinson and Marcie Garity for driving hours on the day of the decorating event to Madison, WI to help the children. We could not have done this without all of you.

• Wyoming

  Wyoming

  • Artist: Karen Anderson & Mike Scott
  • Sponsors:7th-12th grade Academic Options Students at Farson-Eden School
  • About: Eighteen rural Wyoming students designed these bulbs using as many natural resources as possible. Wyoming is rich in its wildlife such as: elk, deer, antelope, coyotes, wolves, wild horses, as well as birds and fish.Many family traditions are rooted in connections with animals and natural environments.Students also wanted to depict the well-known landscapes such as Teton National Park, Devil's Tower Monument, Killpecker Sand Dunes, high deserts and famed rivers in our state.Finally, students depicted the seasons (particularly winter), trees (threatened pines and aspens), and resource energies such as coal, natural gas, and trona. Wyoming's children value living in one of the last wide-open spaces of the west—still a place of wilderness, beauty, safety, equality, and freedom. Warmly from Wyoming, FES staff & students.

• Santa’s Workshop
• Christmas Pathway Of Peace
• National Christmas Tree Music Program
• Holiday in President’s Park