2009 Mansion Ornament Features Mansion Foyer 

This year’s ornament is the first in a new four-year series and is hand painted by Rupert, W.Va., artist Theresa Currence. The frosted glass ornament features the mansion foyer.  Each of the coming years’ ornaments will feature interior views of the mansion.

“I am pleased to be able to work with the Governor’s Mansion Preservation Foundation and Tamarack to select these unique ornaments that feature the mansion and also help to raise funds to preserve this West Virginia treasure,” First Lady Gayle Manchin said.

Mrs. Manchin noted this new series is different from the first four-year limited collection, which featured the exterior of the mansion and were designed by Doug Coleman of New Martinsville.  Those ornaments are individually hand-cut, sandblasted designs on glass, representing different perspectives each year.

“I appreciate the attention to detail that Theresa has put into this ornament,” Manchin said.  “The ornament is a bright and colorful exquisite hand-painted representation of the ‘people’s home’ that welcomes West Virginians and honored guests from around the world.”

The 3 ¼” glass ornament depicts the most recognizable features of the foyer.  The floor, made of Belgium black and Tennessee white marble squares, is the backdrop for two red Empire sofas, spread-eagle console tables and mirrors from the former Executive Mansion on Capitol Street. The ornament also features the circa 1830 round rosewood table that holds a silver punch bowl handmade in the Orient in the late 19th Century and once owned by Governor William Alexander MacCorkle.  The dual Georgian staircase made of mahogany wood and capped with solid-cut crystal ball finials on the newel post frames the rest of the ornament art.

Currence is a self-taught artist whose landscape and nature painting is done in finely detailed acrylic paints.  Her work includes art on canvas, tin, wood, textile and mural backdrops, but Christmas ornaments are her favorite work.  Her work is sold at The Greenbrier in White Sulphur Springs, TAMARACK: The Best of West Virginia, and Trophy Hair Design antique shop in Charleston.  In 2008, she was selected to design ornaments for the White House Christmas Tree.

“I am honored to have my work selected for the ornament collection,” said Currence, who will hand paint each ornament.  “It is exciting to have the opportunity to represent the state in this way and to know that each person who purchases an ornament will have a unique memento of our state.”

The Tamarack Foundation provided support for the Governor’s Mansion ornament with a grant that helped with packaging.  Dunbar artist Steve Cassle’s drawing of the Governor’s Mansion is featured on the ornament brochure. 

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