Handmade gifts fit for a first lady

Caleb Siemon peered into the gaping glow of the furnace and, with a few careful turns of his blowpipe, deftly gathered a fist-sized blob of molten glass, just as he has thousands of times. His hands, as leathered and cracked as a sunbaked saddle from 10 years of professional glass-blowing, work the pipe back and forth over a smooth steel surface, massaging the 2,000-degree glass into one of his coveted pieces.

"We make vessels every day, and I oftentimes wonder where they are all going," he said in a moment of reflection at his Santa Ana studio. "Hopefully, they have all found happy homes."

Happy homes all over the world, as one recent order confirmed. It started with an unusual phone call from the Office of the Chief of Protocol at the U.S. State Department. A representative had seen Siemon's work on display at the Smithsonian's Renwick Gallery in Washington, D.C., and was looking for distinctive gifts for foreign dignitaries.

Siemon sent some images and went back to his furnace. The State Department soon got back in touch to say "Michelle Obama" was quite pleased with the work.

"I thought, 'Wait a minute, you're not talking about Michelle Obama?' " he said. "I was almost speechless. The fact that the first lady was looking at images of my vessels -- it was really a neat moment for me."

The Obamas gave Siemon's glass to heads of state during the couple's first trip to Europe last spring.

"I don't know who they were given to," he said. "Those are the kind of specifics that I didn't push and they didn't reveal, and I was just honored."

A couple of months later, the State Department called again with another request. It wanted a batch of handblown honey pots.

"The first lady has been keeping bees, apparently, in the White House garden," Siemon said. "It was getting close to harvest time, and they were looking for some unique containers."

Glass pulled from the furnace looks and moves much like honey. Even the color, still glowing from the heat, is similar, Siemon said. He designed a simple, elegant vessel that showcased both the material and its contents. "We were inspired by the way the honey flows and the way the glass flows," he said.

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University tabs Maya Angelou to deliver convocation speech

The Annual Fall Convocation, an assembly for the entire university, which launches and celebrates the academic year, is set for 10 a.m. Thursday, October 29 at the Richard B. Harrison Auditorium.

The theme of Fall Convocation 2009 is “Celebrating 118 years of Making a Difference,” with Dr. Maya Angelou, acclaimed poet and author, as the keynote speaker. Fall Convocation was previously known as Founder’s Day Celebration; however, the name changed five years ago to Fall Convocation. “It is an official homecoming kickoff for alumni, in which we recognize athletes and alumni,” said Leonora Bryant, the Director of Alumni Affairs.

Maya Angelou is one of the most renowned and influential voices of our time. Laud as a renaissance woman, Angelou is a celebrated poet, novelist, producer, dramatist, actress, historian, filmmaker, and civil rights activist. Many may best know her for the intriguing and inspirational poem called “Phenomenal Woman,” and her 1970s coming-of-age book, “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.”

This brought Angelou international recognition and a nomination for a National Book Award. An innovator in films and television, Angelou wrote the screenplay and composed the score for the 1972 film “Georgia, Georgia.”

Her script, the first by an African American woman to be filmed, was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Today, she continues to appear on television and films including the landmark television adaption of “Roots” (1977), John Singleton’s Poetic Justice (1993) and the hilarious comedy, “Madea’s Family Reunion (2006). “I feel that’s a good thing because it would be very positive for our students,” said Adrian Ezell, a sophomore broadcast production major.

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Michelle Obama Fashion Book: Mrs O: The Face of Fashion Democracy

The eclectic élan of first lady Michelle Obama has been written and talked about ad nauseam hither and yon, but few have dedicated their days and nights to chronicling her every look such as Mary Tomer, founder and contributing editor of the wildly popular web site Mrs-O.org.

And Tomer is dedicated, keeping up with the first lady's selection of kicks, earrings, brooches, dresses and pants. Most important, she lists the designers, many of whom were unknown before they were graced by Mrs. O-not to be confused with Jackie O.

Now, in her soon-to-be released book, 'Mrs. O: The Face of Fashion Democracy,' Tomer reveals some of Mrs. O's closely guarded fashion secrets through original photographs, sketches and illustrations. It also highlights glossy images of the first lady and President Barack Obama together on the campaign trail, at the White House and other events. It also shows photos of Sasha and Malia with starlit eyes in the foreground and the background.

"Michelle has great style and we carry great affection for her,'' Tomer, who graduated from Boston University in 2003 with a degree in mathematics, said in an interview with AOL Black Voices.

The 235-hardcover book also features commentary from fashion experts and close-ups of her popular and most talked about outfits, including the red and black Narciso Rodriguez dress she wore on election night, and the teal, v-neck, three-quarter sleeve, sheath dress by Chicago designer Maria Pinto that she wore at the Democratic National Convention. It also features images of brooches, dress patterns, and detailed descriptions of outfits such as the stunning violet cocktail dress with French knot embroidery by designer Jason Wu.

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