CHARLESTON (Hinton News) – First Lady Cathy Justice joined West Virginia Arts, Culture and History Curator Randall Reid-Smith today to unveil her official 2022 Limited Edition Christmas Ornament.
This year’s ornament was designed by Charleston stained glass artist, Amanda Buckner.
“Babydog has been a true pleasure as a beloved pet for the Governor and me,” said Justice. “She was a gift to the governor on Christmas Eve a few years ago and immediately became his loyal companion. She brings such happiness to our lives, and we’re thrilled to share some of that joy with our fellow West Virginians. Amanda Buckner has created a wonderful Christmas ornament, capturing the true cheerful spirit of Babydog. I hope everyone who takes one of these ornaments home will enjoy it for many years to come.”
“The West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History is always excited to help First Lady Cathy Justice in unveiling her annual Christmas ornament design,” Reid-Smith said. “This year’s artist, Amanda Buckner of Amanda’s Glass Art, has created a beautiful piece, and we are proud to continuously work with the first lady to promote artists from across the Mountain State.”
The 2022 ornament features the governor and First Lady’s beloved pet, Babydog. The ornament was created using a white opalescent glass base, crushed glass in four colors along with hand cut glass eyes, nose, and a red tongue. The ornament is finished with a red velvet ribbon for hanging and a wooden bone-shaped tag, made by West Virginia artisan Sam Laxton, with a special Christmas greeting from Babydog.
“As a native of West Virginia and the owner of Amanda’s Glass Art, it was a privilege to be selected to produce the 2022 First Lady ornament,” said Buckner. “I am working hard every day to ‘Do It for Babydog’!”
The limited number of 500 ornaments will be released in stages, due to the intricate design of the ornament. One hundred and twenty ornaments will be available for purchase on Wednesday, Nov. 16, at the Tamarack Marketplace at The Culture Center in Charleston. Later in the holiday season, the additional 380 ornaments will be released with 250 being delivered on Dec. 14 and a final 130 delivered on Dec. 21.
People interested in purchasing an ornament may also call 304-205-7911 and leave a voicemail message with their name and phone number. It is strongly recommended that anyone leaving a voicemail leave only their name and number, not their credit card information. If you need your ornament shipped, Tamarack will advise on packaging and shipping costs.
The Tamarack Marketplace at The Culture Center is closed on Sundays and Mondays. Gift shop hours are 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Any voicemails left regarding the ornaments while the shop is closed will be returned in the order they were received on Tuesdays.
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| The governor’s English bulldog, Babydog, as depicted on First Lady Cathy Justice’s official 2022 Limited Edition Christmas Ornament. First Lady Cathy Justice unveils official 2022 Limited Edition Christmas Ornament |
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| West Virginia Arts, Culture and History Curator Randall Reid-Smith announces First Lady Cathy Justice’s official 2022 Limited Edition Christmas Ornament. |
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| Amanda Buckner is the artist who designed and created the official 2022 Limited Edition Christmas Ornament featuring Babydog. |
