Pages

Monday, July 23, 2012

Reflections in the White House





I am thrilled to say that Reflections even made it all the way to the White House and into the hands of the president and First Lady.
Almost TWO years ago (May 6, 2010 to be exact- I still have the e-mail...and many more that followed) I was contacted by John Paul Greenawalt  of BOOK ARTS in D.C. who is responsible for selection of certain gifts for the President to present to dignitaries, heads of states, ect .

He asked permission to recommend my book for the possibility of being presented as a gift from the President.  Of course I was delighted!
I was advised that I couldn't/ shouldn't discuss it with others until a final decision was made.


January 30th...

I received a letter from the Department of State ~

Dear Ms. Dorsey
Thank you for providing us with a sample of your beautiful work.
We are grateful for Mr. Greenawalt introducing us to your poetry.
The needs of our office are always changing, so we will be touch should
another gifting opportunity arise.

Sincerely,
Katie Jacks
Senior Gifts Officer
Office of the Chief of Protocol
U.S. Department of State


So, the book was ultimately not chosen as a presentation at this time ...and now I can discuss it.
Although it was not chosen, I feel SO HONORED that it was even recommended and CONSIDERED!
My little book of southern poems from Tupelo/Saltillo , Mississippi impressed a man
who looks for material for gift presentations for kings and queens
Miracles do happen...and I am hoping that it might be reconsidered in the future.

I recently received a leather bound copy of what the gift book would have looked
like if it had been chosen and presented.

With the book I received this letter
Letter from John Paul Greenawalt :
from Book Arts Conservatory

Dear Mrs. Neely-Dorsey

Your binding is bound with the same red calfskin as used .for Queen Elizabeth II and is inlaid with the same chocolate calfskin on the hand-fitted archival case used for President Sirleaf, and the design is the same as created for the Emperor of Japan...all as gifts from the President.
I have enjoyed the prospect of your poems within our bindings, all of these many , many months, and it is a pleasure to send this binding to you as a gift. (I added the leather box as a bonus!)
Best Wishes in your continued Success

John Paull Greenawalt
President
Book Arts Conservatory