An island artist designed a Christmas ornament that is currently displayed on the White House Christmas tree. The ornament highlights Ebey’s Landing National Historical Reserve.
James Moore, a painter living near Crockett Lake, painted a landscape designed to capture the unique character of Ebey’s Landing.
“I was really flattered and I consider it an honor,” Moore said Thursday afternoon. He was also glad the ornament will give Ebey’s Landing some national exposure.
He received the cantaloupe-size glass ornament in October. Moore said two images that symbolize the reserve came to mind when he thought about what to paint on the ornament — farming that takes place next to the water and the popular hikes along the bluff.
With those images in his head, he decided to paint a John Deere tractor working in a field with Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains as backdrops.
On the other side is an image of a wind-swept tree that hikers are sure to see when walking along the bluff trail located south of Coupeville.
Moore was surprised to see the sizable glass ornament he was given to paint. The first challenge was to find a way to rig the ornament so he could complete the picture without worrying about breaking it.
In all it took approximately 14 hours to complete.
He said he was flattered that he was chosen for the project. Moore has been painting for about 11 years and he is known for his landscapes of the area.
The ornament comes at the request of First Lady Laura Bush. The Ebey’s Landing ornament is prominently displayed on the official White House Christmas tree, which is the centerpiece of decorations celebrating the theme, “Holiday in the National Parks,” according to a news release from the National Park Service.
The tree, located in the White House Blue Room, is adorned with handmade ornaments representing the country’s 391 National Park Service sites.
“Each ornament on the magnificent, 18-foot Fraser fir was designed by an artist selected by the park,” National Park Service Director Mary Bomar said. “The ornaments tell the stories of our parks, just as our parks tell the stories of our nation.”
Displaying the ornament on the White House Christmas tree provided the opportunity for Ebey’s Landing to be recognized nationally and viewed alongside other parks in the country that are more widely known such as Yellowstone and Grand Canyon.
The holiday displays incorporate the wide variety of natural, cultural and recreational features preserved by the National Park Service. Models of icons, such as the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and the Statue of Liberty, share space with paintings of scenic vistas from Grand Canyon, Zion, and Rocky Mountain National Parks. Holiday garlands intertwined with park objects including seashells, pine cones, and gold aspen leaves add to each room’s festive feel.
“National Parks commemorate the people, places, and events that define the American experience,” said Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne in the news release. “I am so appreciative of President Bush’s efforts to recognize the important role of national parks in American society. Our country will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service in 2016 and the president has been instrumental in establishing the National Park Centennial Initiative to prepare the parks for the next century.”
