Ornament designed by Stillwater artist to hang on White House tree

By TIM HARLOW, Star Tribune

Last update: December 3, 2008 - 12:59 AM

An ornament designed by a Stillwater artist will hang on the 2008 White House Christmas tree.

Roberta Zimdars, 59, designed and painted the Christmas bulb, which depicts the Minnesota wilderness, a starry sky and the northern lights, timber wolves and children that First Lady Laura Bush will hang on the tree during a Holiday Open House at 3:30 p.m. today Twin Cities time.

In a one-time special event, each of the 50 states was allowed to submit one ornament to be included on the tree. Congressman Jim Ramstad (R-Minn.), selected Courage Center to come up with the ornament to represent Minnesota.

Courage Center immediately turned to Zimdars, who has designed scores of cards for the nonprofit rehabilitation and resource center over the years, to create the ornament to represent the state.