Avery in the News

James Avery Selected to Design White House Christmas Tree Ornament

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison extends invitation to design Texas ornament

KERRVILLE, TEXAS--(December 5, 2008) — James Avery, a family-owned jewelry retailer, announces today the unveiling of the White House Christmas Tree Ornament designed by Mr. James Avery, founder and chairman emeritus of James Avery Craftsman, Inc. The ornament was unveiled at the White House on December 4, 2008.

The invitation to design an original ornament for the White House came from Texas Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. This Christmas marks the first year of the Bush administration that Senators and Congressmen were given the chance to select an artist from their represented state.

With instructions and a plain, silver ornament from the White House, Mr. Avery worked for several months creating the design for his ornament. The completed, hand-painted ornament artistically represents Texas in all of its rich beauty and heritage -- the Texas flag waving proudly over the Alamo representing the lives lost and freedom won; a Longhorn steer symbolizing the state’s ranching heritage; a gushing oil well to show the new way of life it brought to the state; and a red-ribbon wrapped Texas, representing the precious treasure that is the state’s history, both past and present.

“It is indeed an honor that I was given this wonderful opportunity by Senator Hutchison to, in a small way, represent the great state of Texas,” said Mr. Avery.

His ornament will also be featured on Sen. Hutchison’s Christmas cards this holiday season.

About James Avery

James Avery, a family-owned jeweler in the Texas Hill Country, offers hand-crafted jewelry in sterling silver, white, 14- and 18-karat gold and gemstones. Based in Kerrville, Texas, James Avery maintains 1,100 designs and 14,000 separate combinations of jewelry designs, materials, and sizes in the active product line. Each James Avery design is crafted at one of five hill country workshops. James Avery operates 48 stores in Texas, Georgia, Oklahoma, Colorado and Louisiana. James Avery jewelry is available at retail stores, through mail order and on the internet at www.jamesavery.com.