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42 °F Forecast | Road Cams Thursday, January 27, 2005 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics Tempo AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map SPECIAL SECTIONS Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Menu Guide How To Guide Wellness Connection Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Real Estate Guide Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Wedding Guide Passport to the Rogue Valley EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People Volunteer Opportunities Moving to Southern Oregon? MARKETPLACE Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Classifieds Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend December 23, 2004 Phyllis Maurer�s French horn ornament and Floy Williams� drum ornament landed a spot on a presidential Christmas tree and an invitation to the White House for the Rogue River artists. Mail Tribune / Jim Craven A brush with the Bushes Rogue River artists have their decorated ornaments placed on White House tree By SANNE SPECHT Mail Tribune Not too many people past elementary-school age make homemade Christmas ornaments. But two Rogue River women’s ornaments ended up on the White House Christmas tree this year. Phyllis Maurer and Floy Williams, both members of the Siskiyou Society of Decorative Painters, responded to an article in a painting magazine. Their work was selected from thousands of entries to be among the few hundred to adorn the tree in the Blue Room. "I got to meet the first lady," says Maurer. "I was able to shake her hand and have my photograph taken." The two artists only had a few weeks to create their musically themed masterpieces. Williams says through the article they bought unpainted papier-m�ch� ornaments for $10. Williams received a drum, Maurer a French horn. The rules instructed the artists in the colors and even type of painting to be done. Advertisement "They wanted bright colors, no pastels, and gold," says Williams, who painted her drum in many different shades of gold and red, using a series of circles which she turned into hearts with her intricate brushwork. "They wanted nothing recognizable (painted)," says Maurer. "No snowman or bears. Only strokework — scrolls, dots and decorations." Both had only a short time to paint and submit their work for judging. "They arrived and we only had about two weeks to paint," says Williams, who spent about 20 hours on her creation. The two didn’t have too long to wait before they received a letter in the mail with a special invitation. "I got an envelope. It had the presidential seal," says Williams. "‘Mrs. Laura Bush requests the pleasure of your company,’ and the tears just started flowing." Her tears of joy were tempered with frustration. Williams, in training to become a certified nurse’s aide, says the invitation date was also the date of her final exam. "I made a commitment to my education," she says. "And I couldn’t go to the White House." But Maurer, her friend and former art teacher, did go. She took her camera and represented both ladies at the tea, she says. "Phyllis went and took a picture of my ornament hanging on the tree," says Williams. Maurer says visiting the White House was something she never thought she’d do — even though she’s had an ornament on a presidential tree once before and received another letter from a former first lady — Hillary Clinton. Unable to attend the first time, Maurer says friends and family nudged her to take advantage of the second opportunity. And she’s glad she did, she says. "It was a wonderful trip," says Maurer. "And a thrill to see the tree." Maurer says Home and Garden Television was on site filming a show about the homemade ornaments on the presidential tree the day she was there. "(The HGTV) show has run all month," she says. As for Williams, she says she hopes to make the trip next year. "This was my first year entering," Williams says. "But it won’t be my last." Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Student Loan Consolidation Conference Calls - $50/Month Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker, Trunk, Footlockers