Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin and First Lady Joanne Jaeger Tomblin invite West Virginia artists of all ages to create and submit ornaments to be displayed at the Governor’s Mansion during the 2016 holiday season as part of the sixth annual Artistree project. Participating artists also will be featured in the 2016 Artistree catalog and invited to a special celebration at the mansion. Five years ago, when Governor and First Lady Tomblin suggested trimming a tree in the foyer of the Governor’s Mansion with ornaments handmade by West Virginians, they were delighted by the positive response from artists across the state. What began as an idea to include residents in the holiday season is now a tradition for the Tomblin family. The first year, the tree featured 75 ornaments, and last year 140 ornaments were delivered. The Artistree will stand in the foyer of the Governor’s Mansion and will be unveiled in conjunction with Joyful Night, the annual holiday celebration at the State Capitol complex, which will be held Tuesday, Dec. 6. Visitors throughout the holiday season will have the opportunity to enjoy the ornaments. The deadline for submitting ornaments for the Artistree is 4 p.m. Friday, Nov. 18. All ornaments will be kept by the Governor’s Mansion. Ornaments must be hand-crafted and suitable for hanging on a tree. Size and weight should be taken into consideration. Submissions can be mailed or hand-delivered to Elizabeth Yeager, WV Division of Culture and History, The Culture Center, 1900 Kanawha Blvd., E., Charleston, W.Va. 25305 ATTN: Artistree. For more information contact Yeager at 304-558-0240 or Elizabeth.A.Yeager@wv.gov. Submission forms can be downloaded at http://www.wvculture.org/arts/artistree/ArtistreeForm2016.docx.
