Chief Florist Nancy Clarke Arranges Caroler Dolls

In this photograph, taken by Tina Hager, White House Chief Floral Designer Nancy Clarke adds the final details to the dress of a caroler doll in the State Dining Room. The dolls were created by Clarke and the White House florists to complement First Lady Laura Welch Bush's "Home for the Holidays" theme in 2001. Clarke served as the White House Chief Floral Designer from 1985 until 2009. She also brought her sense of artistry to many White House holiday decorations, particularly with doll displays. Under her management, the dolls created by the White House florists were dressed as storybook characters and used to decorate the Blue Room Christmas tree in 1989. She also designed the patterns for First Lady Barbara Bush's needlework theme in 1991.