Nebraska Poultry - Nebraska Department of Agriculture

2004 White House Easter Egg Artistry Contest

"Nebraska, The Good Life" was the theme of this year's annual White House Easter Egg Artistry Contest organized by the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, Poultry and Egg Division, in conjunction with the American Egg Board. Vicky Gellinger of Bancroft, designed the winning egg.

Gellinger's egg has been sent to the American Egg Board, which will work with the White House in creating the 2004 Easter Egg Display. One egg from each state and the District of Columbia will make up the display.

To create her egg, Gellinger hand painted a variety of scenes that expressed "Nebraska, The Good Life" with scenes of a farm; including a beef steer; dairy cow, stocks of corn, chickens, pig, grain elevators and a windmill; the State Capitol; a Sandhills Crane; the State Bird, the Western Meadowlark; sailboats on Lake McConaughy; Chimney Rock; covered wagon and teepees; and the Nebraska and American flags draped among them.

Gellinger's egg was chosen from an assortment of eggs entered by amateur Nebraska artists. Second place went to Dorie Dulitz of Ord. Her egg was decorated to look like an eagle, which symbolized the U.S.A., and a small state of Nebraska on the eagle's chest represented the heart of the nation. Bonnie Dorner from West Point received third place. She decorated her egg with a "Nebraska, Where the West Begins" theme that featured a hinged egg, with a horse running across a mini-detailed map of Nebraska inside the egg. Dorner won the 2003 competition.

Each artist decorated a large, blown-out chicken egg to depict special feature(s) of Nebraska. In this and previous years, artists adorned eggs with painted and dyed landscapes and symbols as well as feathers, grains and beads. The entries were displayed for public viewing and voting at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln State Museum in Morrill Hall through out September and October.

The White House Easter Egg Artistry Contest has been an annual event. The Poultry and Egg Division of the Nebraska Department of Agriculture, in conjunction with the American Egg Board, hope to sponsor the contest again next year.

For more information about the egg artistry display, contact Mary Torell at the Poultry and Egg Division at (402) 472-0752.

1st Place Vicky Gellinger, Bancroft
This hand-painted egg expresses The Good Life of Nebraska with scenes of a farm; including a beef steer; dairy cow, stocks of corn; chickens, pig, grain elevators, and a windmill; the State Capitol; a Sandhills Crane; the State Bird, Western Meadowlark; sailboats on Lake McConaughy; Chimney Rock; covered wagon and teepees; and the Nebraska and American flags draped among them.

2nd Place Dorie Dulitz, Ord
On this egg an eagle symbolizes the USA. The flags are from Liberia and Iraq. On the eagle's chest is a small state of Nebraska representing the heart of the nation. 3rd Place Bonnie Dorner, West Point
"Nebraska, where the West Begins" is the theme of this egg. The hinged egg is wrapped in pearl, ruby and gold trim and is crowned with a ruby N.

Sharon Krumland, Creston
Hand-painted egg depicts "The Good Life" of Nebraska, and features the State Capitol, an ear of corn and a windmill.

Ognyan Kolev, Chadron
Nebraska, The Good Life is this egg's theme and features Nebraska's landscape including bluffs, buttes, and Chimney Rock. Cornfields and cattle are symbolic of the state's economy. The horses represent Nebraska's love for freedom, while the eagle symbolizes strength and patriotism. The tractor and windmill represent the hard work of the inhabitants of this great state.

Diane Pratt, Lincoln
Red glitter adorns the outside of this egg. The farm scene inside includes a barn, a windmill and corn. Veronica Kiuntke, Columbus
Corn is the focal point of this acrylic-painted egg as corn is one of the most important crops in Nebraska where cornfields stretch as far as the eye can see. Corn is used in hundreds of bi- products we use daily.

Roger Maller, Oakland
The rural country schoolhouse is depicted on this egg where many Nebraskans got their education start. The egg features children at play, horses, a small car and a teacher with a bell to call children to class.

Dorothy Abbott, Lincoln
This oil-painted egg features Nebraska's State Seal, the State Flower, Goldenrod, and the State Bird, the Western Meadowlark.

Pat Ruge, Walthill
This egg features Lincoln the home of the National Museum of Roller Skating, and Lincoln has been host to several National Roller Skating Championships. The artist and a friend are pictured inside. Sarah Genrich, Beatrice
This acrylic-painted egg depicts a Nebraska football with a red "N" for Nebraska Huskers.

Bonnie McCall, York
Yellow sunflowers on a blue background, which is made from polymer clay, adorn the outside of this egg. Sylvia Van Leer, Belgrade
This hand-painted egg portrays Nebraska's history of early settlers in covered wagons, and Native Americans as depicted by the feathers, to Nebraska's rich farmlands and tourism.

Seth Boggs, Seward
This egg consists of four different scenes topped with Nebraska's state seal. The scenes include Chimney Rock, a combine harvesting the crop, the State Capitol, and a Husker football player.

Sharyl Batterman, Lincoln
The "Best of Nebraska" in black and white pencil sketching with bead and copper touches, is this egg's theme featuring a Sandhills Crane, Chimney Rock, a windmill, cattle, a rancher and his horse.

Carolyn Rix, Fremont
"Nebraska Cranes - Then and Now" is the theme of this egg. Acrylic painted egg features a covered wagon, Sandhills Crane and Chimney Rock on one side. On the other is the modern day construction crane.

Jennifer Bartling, Fremont
Nebraska's State Flower, Goldenrod, and the State Bird, the Western Meadowlark are featured on this egg made in lace. The Meadowlark is needle lace, Goldenrod is tatting and the blue sky is knitted lace. Doris Riasi, Omaha
Beef, the number one commodity of the state, is the focal point of this egg. Nebraska's beef has been acclaimed as some of the finest in the world.

Lois Beave, Waverly
Four seasons Yucca plant painted in watercolor adorn the outside of this egg.

Photos taken by Vantage Imaging

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1st Place Vicky Gellinger, Bancroft This hand-painted egg expresses The Good Life of Nebraska with scenes of a farm; including a beef steer; dairy cow, stocks of corn; chickens, pig, grain elevators, and a windmill; the State Capitol; a Sandhills Crane; the State Bird, Western Meadowlark; sailboats on Lake McConaughy; Chimney Rock; covered wagon and teepees; and the Nebraska and American flags draped among them.

2nd Place Dorie Dulitz, Ord On this egg an eagle symbolizes the USA. The flags are from Liberia and Iraq. On the eagle's chest is a small state of Nebraska representing the heart of the nation.	3rd Place Bonnie Dorner, West Point "Nebraska, where the West Begins" is the theme of this egg. The hinged egg is wrapped in pearl, ruby and gold trim and is crowned with a ruby N.

Sharon Krumland, Creston Hand-painted egg depicts "The Good Life" of Nebraska, and features the State Capitol, an ear of corn and a windmill.

Ognyan Kolev, Chadron Nebraska, The Good Life is this egg's theme and features Nebraska's landscape including bluffs, buttes, and Chimney Rock. Cornfields and cattle are symbolic of the state's economy. The horses represent Nebraska's love for freedom, while the eagle symbolizes strength and patriotism. The tractor and windmill represent the hard work of the inhabitants of this great state.

Diane Pratt, Lincoln Red glitter adorns the outside of this egg. The farm scene inside includes a barn, a windmill and corn.	Veronica Kiuntke, Columbus Corn is the focal point of this acrylic-painted egg as corn is one of the most important crops in Nebraska where cornfields stretch as far as the eye can see. Corn is used in hundreds of bi- products we use daily.

Roger Maller, Oakland The rural country schoolhouse is depicted on this egg where many Nebraskans got their education start. The egg features children at play, horses, a small car and a teacher with a bell to call children to class.

Dorothy Abbott, Lincoln This oil-painted egg features Nebraska's State Seal, the State Flower, Goldenrod, and the State Bird, the Western Meadowlark.

Pat Ruge, Walthill This egg features Lincoln the home of the National Museum of Roller Skating, and Lincoln has been host to several National Roller Skating Championships. The artist and a friend are pictured inside.	Sarah Genrich, Beatrice This acrylic-painted egg depicts a Nebraska football with a red "N" for Nebraska Huskers.

Bonnie McCall, York Yellow sunflowers on a blue background, which is made from polymer clay, adorn the outside of this egg.	Sylvia Van Leer, Belgrade This hand-painted egg portrays Nebraska's history of early settlers in covered wagons, and Native Americans as depicted by the feathers, to Nebraska's rich farmlands and tourism.

Seth Boggs, Seward This egg consists of four different scenes topped with Nebraska's state seal. The scenes include Chimney Rock, a combine harvesting the crop, the State Capitol, and a Husker football player.

Sharyl Batterman, Lincoln The "Best of Nebraska" in black and white pencil sketching with bead and copper touches, is this egg's theme featuring a Sandhills Crane, Chimney Rock, a windmill, cattle, a rancher and his horse.

Carolyn Rix, Fremont "Nebraska Cranes - Then and Now" is the theme of this egg. Acrylic painted egg features a covered wagon, Sandhills Crane and Chimney Rock on one side. On the other is the modern day construction crane.

Jennifer Bartling, Fremont Nebraska's State Flower, Goldenrod, and the State Bird, the Western Meadowlark are featured on this egg made in lace. The Meadowlark is needle lace, Goldenrod is tatting and the blue sky is knitted lace.	Doris Riasi, Omaha Beef, the number one commodity of the state, is the focal point of this egg. Nebraska's beef has been acclaimed as some of the finest in the world.

Lois Beave, Waverly Four seasons Yucca plant painted in watercolor adorn the outside of this egg.