Congressman Adam Putnam (R-Fla.) today praised Lakeland-based artist Thomas Brooks for creating a Christmas ornament that now adorns the official White House Christmas tree.

The Christmas tree, a tall Fraser fir from North Carolina, is in the Blue Room of the White House. First Lady Laura Bush asked each Senator and Member of Congress to nominate artists to create this year’s ornaments.

“Thomas has long been one of my favorite artists,” said Putnam who nominated Brooks.  “His talent has been recognized nationally, and he is well known in local philanthropy for the generosity of his talent.  His representation of the natural splendor of our state is magnificent, and it is a joy to see his ornament on the White House Christmas tree.”

Thomas and his wife Patricia attended a reception for the artists hosted by Mrs. Bush at the White House Dec. 2.  “It was an opportunity of a lifetime and definitely a highlight in my career as an artist,” Brooks said.

Raised in Central Florida and based in Lakeland, Brooks’ work has gained wide recognition and he now distributes his limited edition prints and original works nationally. His work has been juried and accepted into national wildlife art exhibitions. He will be the featured artist at the 2009 Southeastern Wildlife Expo in Charleston, S.C.  In addition to many other awards and commissions, he is a two-time winner of the Florida Wild Turkey Conservation Stamp Competition and has been commissioned by the Florida NWTF to create a five-year series of sponsor prints from 2007-2011.

Since 2001, Putnam has represented Florida’s 12^th Congressional District, which includes most of Polk County and portions of Hillsborough and Osceola counties.