January 21, 2008
For Immediate Release:
MN Sesquicentennial Ambassador Egg at Nation's Capital
Tane S. Danger
E-mail: tane@mn150years.orgSnail:
C/o Sesquicentennial Commission
240 Summit Ave
St. Paul, MN 5510
(651)-296-1870 (office)
(507)-469-1433 (cell)
The painted egg which will be on display in Washington D.C. through Easter was created by Minnesota artists and sisters Jeanne Jensen and Julie Reeve who featured the Minnesota Sesquicentennial logo in their design.
Jensen and Reeve in Washington D.C. last week at an egg artist reception hosted by First Lady Laura Bush.
A small, delicate and ornately designed artistic creation is heralding Minnesota's 150th anniversary of statehood at the nation's capital. A chicken egg, donned with the Minnesota Sesquicentennial logo is on display in Washington D.C. between now and Easter thanks to the hard work and creative effort of two Minnesota sisters and artists.
Each year, the American Egg Board coordinates a display of decorated chicken eggs that features something special about the 50 states and the District of Columbia. For Minnesota's submission, sisters Jeanne Jensen and Julie Reeve decided to theme an egg on the state's sesquicentennial.
"It's an honor to represent the state of Minnesota," said Reeve, adding "Working with Jeanne on this project gave me the opportunity to try something new."
Jensen and Reeve's egg prominently features the Sesquicentennial Logo and the text "150 Years of Statehood 1858 - 2008."
But the design also picked up on some of the Sesquicentennial Commission's subtler themes. Across the top and bottom are decorative bands representing the three major biomes found in the state. Minnesota is where three major natural areas converge, the deciduous forest, the coniferous forest and the prairie grasslands, making it unique in all of North America.
The Minnesota Sesquicentennial Commission chose to highlight those biomes or natural areas as well as two sub-zones, the unique tall-grass aspen parklands of the northwest and the driftless geological area of southeast Minnesota, the only part of the state never covered by a glacier.
"It was great working with my sister on the egg and having the opportunity to represent the great state of Minnesota," explained Jensen, a self-taught artist who recently became a Minnesota Master Naturalist.
"We are so proud of the artists, the egg and the creativity it represents. The egg is a wonderful national messenger for Minnesota during this Sesquicentennial year," said Minnesota Sesquicentennial Commission Executive Director Jane Leonard. "We were really impressed that Julie and Jeanne incorporated into their design so many of the elements that we've been trying to lift up for the Sesquicentennial, especially Minnesota's unique natural resources heritage and future."
The Minnesota Sesquicentennial Egg will be on display at the White House Visitor Center between now and Easter. After that, all 51 eggs in this year's display will be available to view at www.whitehouse.gov/easter.
The Sesquicentennial is a yearlong, statewide commemoration of 150 years of statehood and a catalyst to learn from our past and connect all Minnesotans in creating a thriving, innovative future.
The Minnesota Sesquicentennial Commission, created by the Legislature in 2005 to coordinate Sesquicentennial events and projects, selected four major theme areas for the 150th observances: Education, Innovation, Arts & Cultures, and Health & Wellness. In addition, they will be shining the spotlight on Minnesota's natural resources and our great outdoors heritage.
The Commission is joined in this effort by the Minnesota Historical Society, the University of Minnesota, and the Minnesota State College and University System as key players, along with Explore Minnesota Tourism, the Department of Natural Resources and other state agencies and private and non-profit partners.
To find out more about these events or the Sesquicentennial year-long plans, contact the Sesquicentennial office at 651-297-1870 or 651-296-1872, or go to www.mn150years.org.