For Release: December 9, 1998

Contact: Stephen Volpe 222-2781

PROVIDENCE - The Department of Environmental Management has announced that a Rhode Island decorated egg will be displayed at the White House during the nation's Easter celebration in the capitol. The large chicken egg, donated by Little Rhody Egg Farm of Foster, has been decorated by industrial designer and artist Joan K. Creamer of East Greenwich.

This is the third time that an egg delicately and intricately decorated by Ms. Creamer has made its way to the White House celebration, which was begun five years ago by Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Ms. Creamer has chosen the state flower, the violet, as the central theme of the state egg. The outside is crowned with crystal violets from E. H. Ashley & Co., and with hand crafted glass leaves held by golden stems. The egg surface is covered with Swarovski jewels positioned to look like violets, set between clear stones.

Inside the egg, Ms. Creamer has sculptured a replica of the statue of Roger Williams, standing and gazing out over parts of Rhode Island. The skyline of downtown Providence, complete with the new skating rink, T.F. Green Airport, and The Newport Bridge over Narragansett Bay are reproduced in miniature.

Ms. Creamer's 1995 White House egg portrayed Rhode Island, "The Ocean State". Tiny sculptures of the Newport Bridge, Cliff Walk mansions, and sailboats racing in Narragansett Bay stood inside a jewel-covered shell. That year, Ms. Creamer traveled to Washington for the opening of the display and, with other egg crafters, was given a private tour of the White House. In 1997, she transformed a plain brown chicken egg into a sculpture of the state bird - the Rhode Island Red chicken. Lifting the hinged wings, viewers could see representations of some of the best and most whimsical parts of Rhode Island, from the insignia of the state's colleges and universities to a miniature sculpture of the Big Blue Bug on Route I-95.

This year's egg will travel in a special container to Washington on January 4 to take its place with creations from other states for display in the spring. Afterwards, the egg will join the others from years past to become part of the permanent collection at the future Clinton Library.

Ms. Creamer notes that she has taken care to insure that while Rhode Island is the smallest of the 50 states, its representative in the Easter Egg Collection is bold, bright and beautiful. "I hope viewers say, 'Wow, look at that!' when they see the Rhode Island egg," she said.