Vice PresidentKamala Harrisand second gentlemanDoug Emhoffrang in the winter holiday season with a new friend, 15-year-old artist Alex Berko.
Berko is a tenth grader at Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C., just down the road from the Naval Observatory where Harris and Emhoff live. Earlier this year, Berko’s visual arts teacher provided him photos of thevice president’s official residenceand asked him to reimagine it in a wintry setting, leaving out important context about the purpose of the assignment.
Unaware at the time, Berko was entering a secret design contest — his painting would be judged against other D.C. students' submissions, and the winner would have their design printed on the second family’s 2022 holiday card.
In November, Harris and Emhoff hopped on Zoom with Berko and his family to share the good news: Berko’s art was selected for their holiday card and would soon be shared with the world.
With the 2022 holiday cards now printed and complementary ornaments created, Harris and Emhoff decided it was time to invite Berko to their home — the same one he painted — and celebrate his achievement.
When Berko arrived, Harris shouted “Alexander!” and shook his hand before offering a hug.
She excitedly read the back of the holiday card, where a brief biography on Berko shares the story behind the painting, aloud to him. “Oh my God, that’s so crazy,” he said, looking at the text for himself. “No, it’s magnificent, that’s what it is,” Harris replied.
Alex Berko shows off the holiday card he designed inside One Observatory Circle.Courtesy of the White House
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Berko’s visual arts teacher, Mike Easton, told the vice president’s office that the teen is a “dynamic artist” and student leader on his campus.
His mother, Julie Berko, explained that he’s always been artistic — even drawing on the walls of his home as a child — and she’s excited to see his talent flourish through his art education.
Berko’s art depicts One Observatory Circle inside a snow globe, resting on a wooden table with decorative pine cones, fir leaves and red berries. The vice president’s office added embossed gold letters to the design that read “Happy Holidays.”
source: people.com
