2007 White House Easter Egg Representing Georgia. The winner is Dawna Godfrey of Marietta, GA

Teacher's Easter egg shown at White House

 

A specially-designed Easter egg designed by an Esther Jackson Elementary School teacher is on display at the White House in Washington D.C. Dawna Godfrey, a member of the Eggart Guild of Georgia and the International Egg Art Guild, was chosen this year by the Georgia Egg Commission to decorate the Georgia 2007 Easter Egg for the White House.

 

Over Spring Break, Ms. Godfrey traveled to Washington , D.C. and was honored, along with 49 other artists, by First Lady Laura Bush. The American Egg Board sponsored a luncheon and private tour of the White House. Her egg also was on the television show, “CBS Sunday Morning,” on Easter Sunday and was featured as one of the loveliest on display this year.

 

All of the decorated eggs are chicken eggs. Ms. Godfrey’s design features a Cherokee Rose, which is Georgia ’s state flower, and is made of carved eggshell.

 

After being at the White House Visitor Center during April, the “’50 States Eggs” will go to the Presidential Library in Texas for permanent display. A replica of the Georgia 2007 Egg also is being displayed at the Georgia Governor’s Mansion and in May will go to the Georgia Capitol Museum for permanent display.

 

2008 White House Easter Egg Representing Georgia. The winner is  Helen Dunham of Woodstock, GA

An egg crafted by Mrs. Helen M. Dunham of Woodstock, Georgia has been chosen by the Georgia Egg Commission as the official 2008 Easter egg. The egg will represent Georgia and be displayed in the White House, along with eggs from each state and the District of Columbia, during the Easter season.

Mrs. Dunham described her winning Georgia egg noting that it features the state bird, the state flower, and the state tree. "The viewer will first see the male Brown Thrasher sitting on the outside of the egg on the stems and among the blooms of the Cherokee Rose. The female is minding her babies on the inside of the egg, securely nestled in the branches of a Live Oak Tree. The outside front of the egg is trimmed with gold cord and pink rhinestones, with the back of the egg featuring a finely-cut, lattice design," she said.

2009 2007 White House egg Representing Georgia. The winner is  Luanne White Faulkender of Sandy Springs, GA

Luanne has been egging since 2002. She discovered her artistic talent at the age of eight when her teacher asked her to make a little display at school about wool. Ultimately, she became a commercial artist (now it's referred to as a graphic artist) and advanced to become art director for an ad agency. Watercolor, photography, oil, acrylics, pen and ink, clay sculpture and egg decorating and carving are the mediums she is most creative in these days. She has even created an application of eggshells in jewelry designs.

"I was inspired by the women authors of Georgia in historical fiction; Margarette Mitchell, Frances Patton Statham and Eugenia Price for their marvelous works in historical fiction. That was my inspiration for the winning state Easter egg for the White House. I wanted to celebrate their ingenuity and fortitude." Ms. Faulkender should know. She just finished a novel she started over 16 years ago.

"I really enjoy sharing this wonderful art with others". Offering classes in egg carving, decorating Faberge-style and painting at her home studio is a common occurrence at the Faulkenders.

Ms Faulkender is  an actress,  artist, author, poet, acting coach and CEO of Theatre Techniques for Executives, a firm that teaches public speaking and presentations.

Past President and Vice President of The EggArt Guild of Georgia (EGG)  she has also served on the board of the Atlanta National League of Pen Women and Women in Film-Atlanta.