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The holiday season is upon us, and Lux Art Institurte is doing its part to spread a little cheer—all the way to Washington, D.C. The Encinitas-based art space and educational center was selected by the National Park Foundation to represent the state of California by making ornaments for the National Christmas Tree, which will be on display in President’s Park near the White House.

Decorating and lighting the National Christmas Tree is an annual tradition that began in 1923 with President Calvin Coolidge. Today a series of 56 smaller trees called “the Pathway of Peace” surround the stately 40-foot Colorado blue spruce and represent the country’s 50 states, five territories, and the District of Columbia.

Locally, Lux Art Institute worked with the third-graders at Ocean Knoll Elementary School in Encinitas to design and create the ornaments. The youngsters were asked to paint winter scenes from places they had visited on small log slices, a project based on the work of former Lux resident artist Alison Moritsugu, whose paintings include traditional snow-covered landscapes.

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“It’s very special for our class to do the ornaments representing California that are going to be on the National Tree,” says third-grader Sofia Lopez. “It’s something I will remember forever.”

Congrats to Lux and the students at Ocean Knoll!

This year’s National Christmas Tree lighting will take place on Friday, December 6 at 5 p.m. EST. Check your local listings. 

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