Michelle “Mike” Ochonicky
The Art Students of Kirkwood High School
Missouri’s ornaments were designed by artist Michelle “Mike” Ochonicky of Eureka and made by 114 art students of Kirkwood High School in Kirkwood. Reverse-glass painted spheres showcase a dove, the symbol of peace, clutching not the traditional olive branch, but a dogwood and a hawthorn branch, (Missouri’s state tree and flower). On the back of the ornament, the first letter of Missouri is formed by the Gateway Arch, a national park monument, looped and underlined with a colorful strand of holiday lights. The background of bright green swirls set on gold symbolizes the richness of the state’s natural beauty in a contemporary way.