Maui Glass Blower Creates Ornaments for 2015 National Tree Lighting

Ornaments for tree

NPS

News Release Date: December 2, 2015

Contact: Polly Angelakis, 808-572-4450

WASHINGTON (December 2, 2015): The National Park Foundation, the official charity of America’s national parks, announced today that Noor Dphrepaulezz has been chosen to create Hawai‘i’s ornaments for the 2015 America Celebrates: Ornaments from Across the USA display at President’s Park
(White House) in Washington, D.C. Noor Dphrepaulezz joins local artists from each U.S. state, territory, and the District of Columbia in designing ornaments inspired by America’s national parks and their programs, paying tribute to the upcoming National Park Service Centennial in 2016.

The ornament display honors the holiday season and celebrates the National Christmas Tree Lighting, a national event presented by the National Park Foundation and the National Park Service.

The 93rd annual National Christmas Tree Lighting, being held on Thursday, December 3, 2015, at 5 p.m., is a great example of the countless ways there are to find your park. Launched in March 2015, Find Your Park/Encuentra Tu Parque is a public awareness and education movement to inspire people to connect with, celebrate, and support America’s national parks and community-based programs. Celebrating the National Park Service Centennial and setting the stage for the Service's next 100 years, Find Your Park invites people to discover and share their own unique connections to our nation's natural landscapes, vibrant culture, and rich history.

“It is an honor to be selected because this is a celebration of the diversity and the unique inspirations from our national parks,” said Noor Dphrepaulezz, glass artist and owner of Southisland Glass Studio, located on Maui. “I am excited to be a part of the America Celebrates event. The ornaments being hand made in the states from which they originate and then shared at this tree lighting offers a unique experience. It truly is the People’s Tree.”

Molten silica based glass is heated in a furnace to the temperature of lava, then gathered from a caldron pot within the furnace and colored with accents of silver, iron, and cobalt oxides. The ornaments’ shimmering surfaces are caused by an intense blast of heat at the end of the process. The colors are
inspired by the mineral rich scenic landscapes of national parks found on Pacific Islands. All of these islands are volcanic in origin.

"Art can be an incredible way for people to connect with national parks and we're thrilled to carry on the time honored tradition of debuting ornaments from all over the country," said Will Shafroth,
president and CEO of the National Park Foundation. "We're honored to have Noor Dphrepaulezz represent Hawai‘i in this year's America Celebrates display."

As one of America’s oldest holiday traditions, the National Christmas Tree Lighting began on Christmas Eve in 1923, when President Calvin Coolidge lit a Christmas tree in front of 3,000 spectators on the Ellipse in President’s Park. Since 1923, each succeeding president has carried on the tradition. In addition to the America Celebrates display, President’s Park hosts a variety of family-oriented holiday attractions, including nightly holiday performances, and model train display.

For more information, please visit www.thenationaltree.organd follow the National Christmas Tree on Twitter at @TheNationalTree. Join the conversation online using the hashtag ‪#‎NCTL2015‬.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 408 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities.

The National Park Service has cared for the White House and its grounds since 1933. President’s Park, which includes the Ellipse and Lafayette Park, was officially included in the national park system in 1961. Visit us at: www.nps.gov, on Facebook: www.facebook.com/nationalparkservice, Twitter: www.twitter.com/natlparkservice, and YouTube: www.youtube.com/nationalparkservice.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION
The National Park Foundation is the official charity of America’s national parks and nonprofit partner to the National Park Service. Chartered by Congress in 1967, the National Park Foundation raises private funds to help PROTECT more than 84 million acres of national parks through critical conservation and preservation efforts, CONNECT all Americans with their incomparable natural landscapes, vibrant culture and rich history, and INSPIRE the next generation of park stewards. Find out more and become a
part of the national park community at www.nationalparks.org.