Nebraska artist Eddie Dominguez, a two-time National Endowment for the Arts grant recipient, who is working in partnership with the Lux Center for the Arts in Lincoln and the Nebraska Arts Council, has been chosen to design and create the ornaments for Nebraska’s tree for the 2011 National Christmas Tree display in President’s Park in Washington, D.C., the National Park Foundation announced.

A local artist and local youth were selected from each U.S. state, territory and the District of Columbia to design and create 24 ornaments. Nebraska representatives Eddie Dominguez and LUX Center for the Arts worked with several youth from the Lancaster County Youth Services Center to create Nebraska’s ornaments. LUX Center for the Arts provides art classes two times per week for youth living at the center and has frequently collaborated with Dominguez on other projects.

Twenty-three of the ornaments will be hung from the state or territory tree as part of the National Christmas Tree display in President’s Park. One of the ornaments will decorate the White House Visitor Center Christmas tree, which showcases one ornament from all 56 states, territories and the District of Columbia.

“The decorating of the state and territory trees in President’s Park is a highly anticipated holiday tradition,” said Neil Mulholland, President and CEO of the National Park Foundation. “We look forward to including the creations representing Nebraska during the 89th annual celebration.”

As one of America’s oldest holiday traditions, the National Christmas Tree Lighting began on Christmas Eve in 1923, when President Calvin Coolidge lit a Christmas tree in front of 3,000 spectators on the Ellipse in President’s Park. Since 1923, each succeeding President has carried on the tradition of what now has become a month-long event presented by the National Park Foundation and National Park Service. In addition to the National Christmas Tree display, President’s Park hosts a variety of family-oriented holiday attractions, such as the Santa’s Workshop, nightly holiday performances, a Yule log, nativity scene, and model train display.

Dominguez drew upon his fond Christmas memories as a young boy and how much he liked the glittery decorations as inspiration for the Nebraska globes.

“He wanted to provide the boys living at Youth Services Center with a similar experience. Some of the boys were there because they were awaiting adjudication for possession of controlled substances or for truancy offences; some were there because of abuse or neglect”, said Jo Ann Emerson, Executive Director of the LUX Center for the Arts.

The boys made a clay body out of bread, glue, and water and made winter-time figures. They then painted and glittered the figures. The project proved to be a powerful creative outlet and positive experience for the youth involved.

“Eddie was correct in using the glittery remembrances of his childhood as the inspiration for the ornaments”, said Emerson, “the boys embraced the project.”

Four weeks of holiday events in President’s Park kicked off with the 89th National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony hosted by the National Park Service and National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks, on Thursday, December 1, 2011, at 5:00 p.m. EST. Talent announcements, as well as other event details and a live web stream of the ceremony will be available at www.thenationaltree.org.