Capitol Christmas Tree – A Gift From Colorado – and a Juried Art Exhibition
Each year since 1970, a Christmas tree has been selected from one of the nation’s 153 national forests, presented to the United States, and received by the Speaker of the House. For the first time in twelve years, the tree will be a gift from the state of Colorado. This magnificent natural monument will be placed prominently on the Capitol lawn and beautifully decorated with ornaments made by school children from across Colorado. In honor of this national event, the White River National Forest, through its non-profit partner, Choose-Outdoors, is seeking artists to participate in a juried art competition to select an official artwork representing the 2012 Capitol Christmas Tree.
The 2012 Capitol Christmas Tree Juried Art Exhibition – Into The Woods will be open to artists from across America and expanded to include broader themes, cash awards, more categories the desire to engage children and youth. This year, the Capitol Christmas tree art contest will award a total of $4,000 in cash prizes along with the opportunity for all winning artworks to be included in a traveling exhibition that accompanies the Capitol Christmas Tree on its whistle stop tour from Colorado to Washington D.C. The current jury panel is slated to include Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell and Mrs. Linda Campbell, Colorado photographer John Fielder; artist and lifelong naturalist Rose Lane White Leavell, Aspen Art Museum Director and Chief Curator Heidi Zuckerman Jacobson, and curator and Western Art expert Rose Frederick. Deadline for entry and artwork submission is September 1, 2012. Please find attached the detailed contest outline or you may go directly to www.callforentry.org for more information or to register.
Additionally, with support from the Aspen Art Museum and the Aspen Skiing Company, we are inviting all artists, art lovers, families and friends to join us in Aspen on August 18th for PAINT FOR THE TREE!. We will celebrate our great outdoors by taking art outside with a plein-air paint out and a day long party full of art focused family fun. For more information please visit www.blacktie-colorado.com.
U.S. Senator Mark Udall led a hike through the White River National Forest near Meeker to help select the 2012 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree. The tree will be a symbol of Colorado and a reminder of the importance of preserving our forests.