Laura D'Argo was chosen by the American Egg Board to represent her state of Illinois in the 2003 Easter Egg Collection.

The collection is displayed in the White House.

The honor continued with an invitation to meet the First Lady and a White House Tour. Both eggs will reside in the Presidential Library as a piece of history.

The art surrounding the egg is the Illinois state flower (violet), tree (oak leaf), insect (monarch), and bird (cardinal feather). All painted in acrylics on a blown out, large chicken egg.

The egg to the left represented the state of Mississippi in the 2002 Easter Egg Collection.

The bee is Mississippi's state insect. It is painted in trompe l'oeil style.

For a limited time the entire collection could be viewed at the White House website. Type D'Argo in the search box.