WASHINGTON ——
First lady Michelle Obama opened the festive, fir-draped doors Wednesday to the family's fourth White House Christmas, with Chicago talent helping put on the pageantry.
Joy to All is this year's holiday theme, with 54 live trees lending color and sparkle in the Executive Mansion. The largest is an 18-foot-6-inch Fraser fir festooned with ornaments made by children from military families.
Obama's first holiday guests this year were troops and their kids, many drawn to a gingerbread house that weighs almost 300 pounds and features replicas of the first lady's garden and the Obamas' dog, Bo.
For the third year, Obama engaged Chicago event planner Gabrielle Martinez, whose firm, agencyEA, began work in April.
Her challenge? "How can you make it bigger, better, more efficient, spend less money, make it the best possible experience for the volunteers and take it to the next level?" Martinez said.
About 85 volunteers were drawn from 38 states and the District of Columbia to assemble the holiday finery. They began work the day after Thanksgiving at an off-site location, then moved Sunday to the White House.
Artists from Chicago had distinctive roles. They were David Lee Csicsko, noted for projects including the mosaic in the CTA's Belmont station; David Condon, a glassmaker; Jami Darwin Chiang, a paper artist; and Heidi Feinerman, a terrarium designer.
Csicsko designed — and Condon built — glass medallions, each 4 feet in diameter, crafted to look like Christmas wreaths. The medallions are a mix of clear textured glass; recycled, cut-glass platters; and specialty glass from artisans across the country.
Csicsko said the experience was "fantastic" and observed: "I felt like I went from being a Chicago artist to an American artist."
Chiang employed her paper wizardry to make ornaments as well as banners for the Blue Room's fir that read "Joining Forces," "Liberty" and "Gratitude." Joining Forces is the first lady's campaign to support military families, but the phrase applies as well to the White House volunteers, Chiang said.
"Everybody was so enthusiastic," she said. "I don't know if it was because of the election, but everybody was willing to work hard, and whatever you asked them, they just jumped right in."
The guests included Capt. Luis Avila, 42, and his wife and son. Avila, still hospitalized, lost a leg and suffered a brain injury from a bomb in Afghanistan during his fifth wartime deployment.
"Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your service and your sacrifice," Obama told military families.
After entertaining the families, Obama hosted a reception for the volunteers. When the first lady alluded to the "four more years" her husband had won, Chiang said, "it brought a cheer from the crowd."
Event planner Martinez said Joy to All would have been the theme regardless of whether President Barack Obama had won a second term. She may help with inaugural events, but for now, it's all about glitter and garlands.
"It's a powerful force when so many positive, creative people come together on one project," Martinez said. "Amazing what you can achieve."
Feinerman created 40 blown-glass ornaments, which are terrariums with tiny succulents. One is shaped like the sculpture Cloud Gate (known as the Bean) in Chicago's Millennium Park. She also crafted snow globes, including a comic nod to Bo getting into mischief by helping himself to some candy.
The black-and-white Portuguese water dog is featured throughout the house and on the first family's Christmas card.
The expected 90,000 holiday visitors can find "Boflakes" and other whimsical touches everywhere, but the dog's private quarters — the Bo-val Office, so to speak — is not on the tour.
kskiba@tribune.com
Local artists' handiwork part of White House holiday display
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Local artists' handiwork part of White House holiday display
