Alexander artist's work graces Christmas tree at White House

Artist John Foley can boast that his work hangs in the White House. True, it's only there for the holiday season, it hangs from a Christmas tree, and the painter's canvas is a six inch plastic ball, but the Alexander resident is one of the American artists who were invited to create an ornament for the 18 foot fir tree in the Blue Room. This year's tree honors the National Park Service and its 391 parks. Foley's contribution depicts the St. Croix Island International Historic Site  along with Acadia, one of the two Maine national parks represented on the tree.

Foley was approached by Park Ranger Meg Scheid last summer after he was recommended to her by several local admirers of his work, and he agreed to tackle the project. Since his retirement from teaching foreign languages at Woodland High School, Foley has devoted himself to painting portraits and landscapes and has exhibited his work at the Calais Free Library and other area sites.

Each of the artists selected by the park service was free to create a design for the ornament within certain guidelines. Foley says that was a challenge for those used to working on flat surfaces. He visited the island, took photos at various times of day from several vantage points, experimented with a number of ideas, and decided to depict a view from the American shore of the scene at dawn. The sun rising behind the silhouetted firs is reflected in a golden sky shot with pink and purple streaks, and the firs are mirrored in the still river that surrounds the island where Europeans first set foot in 1604.

Art was Foley's earliest career interest, and after high school in Winchester, Mass., he studied at a commercial art school for a year and a half. He then enlisted in the army and served in Vietnam where he discovered his gift for languages. On his return, he entered graduate school at Rutgers University to study French and Spanish with additional work in German and Latin. He came to Maine in 1972 and held various jobs until he began his teaching career of 24 years. A few years ago he retired and resumed his interest in painting.

Foley and his wife, Patricia, an English teacher at Woodland High School, spent years creating the home, with their own hands, just off Route 9, where they lived and raised their four daughters. The property also includes the artist's studio, a garage and workshop, and other outbuildings all constructed of stones dug out of the fields and beams hewn from local timber.

When Foley completed the ornament, he turned it over to Ranger Scheid in late September, but not before a Tides reporter visited his home to photograph it. He thought little more about it for a couple of months until an unexpected invitation arrived two weeks ago from the White House to attend a special reception for the ornament artists. Since Foley had never visited Washington, D.C., before, he decided to make the trip  a 16 hour bus ride from Bangor.

Foley says he's glad he did, even though he had to go alone as the rest of the family had other commitments. He traveled at his own expense, staying overnight at a Holiday Inn in Washington. With the aid of a map, he was able to locate many of the sights on foot. As might be expected, he spent time at the National Gallery of Art sampling their outstanding collection of paintings. Arriving at the White House for the afternoon reception on November 28, he was ushered into the Blue Room by military escorts, had his picture taken beside the tree by the White House photographer, spoke with other artists, sampled the lavish buffet and wines, and listened to First Lady Laura Bush thank and compliment the assembled artists for their part in honoring the National Park Service, only nine years away from its hundredth birthday.

As in many American homes, after the Christmas season the tree will be dismantled, the now dry branches mulched, and the ornaments carefully packed for storage. Foley's homage to St. Croix Island, along with all the others created for this year, will become part of the permanent White House collection  perhaps to grace some future yule tree long after those who celebrate Christmas 2007 have gone.