Traci Thompson
Warehouse After School Program at Centre College
Kentucky’s ornaments were made by students of the Warehouse After School Program which serves children and youth who do not speak English as their first language or who do not regularly hear English spoken in the home. The artist, Traci Thompson, is a native of Versailles, Kentucky who brought her talents back to the Bluegrass State after studying art in Colorado and abroad. The project was coordinated by the Community Arts Center in Danville, KY where Ms. Thompson currently teaches painting classes and the students attend regular programming. Says Thompson, “The iconic image of the cardinal (Kentucky’s state bird) in the snow was the initial design inspiration. The students enjoyed developing a unique personality for each bird as the project progressed. They were thrilled that their ornaments were going to be “sent to the President” and seen by so many people in Washington, DC.” The cardinals are made of papier-mâché. As part of Kentucky’s important and growing immigrant population, the children and their families were honored to represent Kentucky and participate in a national event.