Fairmont Students' Artwork to Represent Idaho on 2013 National Christmas Tree Display

Boise, ID -- 12/02/2013 -- Art students from Boise School District's Fairmont Junior High School have been selected to create Idaho's ornaments for the 2013 National Christmas Tree Display. The handmade ornaments will be featured among ornaments from all 56 U.S. states, territories and the District of Columbia that will be displayed at the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony to be held in Washington, D.C. on Friday, December 6, 2013.

Ritta Nielsen, Visual Art Educator of Fairmont Jr. High, was selected to facilitate students through designing and creating one-of-a-kind ornaments for Idaho's tree for the 2013 National Christmas Tree display in President's Park in Washington, D.C., the National Park Foundation announced. Nielsen and her advanced art students join local artists and youth from each U.S. state, territory and the District of Columbia who were selected to design and create 20 ornaments for their respective state or territory tree.

"It is an honor to have been selected to represent our State through this artistic process," said Nielsen. "Working on such a project validates the students' ideas and creative efforts and gives them a hugely meaningful sense of purpose."

Ornament designs were conceived to reflect the gem-like qualities of the Gem State. Inspired by the work of glass artist Dale Chihuly, students worked with discarded plastic containers melting, morphing, and pigmenting the material to simulate various aspects of Idaho's natural beauty and resources.

Nielsen, who has taught Visual Art in the Boise area since 1983, states: "We are excited about this opportunity to be a part of the National Christmas Tree display because it helped us understand E Pluribus Unim. The project brought our class together as a working community - collaborating and problem-solving to achieve our individual and collective goals. Just like real life!"

Thanks to an anonymous donor, Mrs. Nielsen will be able to travel to Washington, D.C. to witness the tree lighting ceremony in person this Friday and represent her art students, Fairmont Junior High School and the Boise School District.

The following are some of the ornaments made by Fairmont art students as part of Idaho's contribution to the National Christmas Tree Display.