2005 Graceful Envelope Contest Winners

The Graceful Envelope Contest, sponsored by the National Association of Letter Carriers and administered by the Washington Calligraphers Guild, congratulates this year's winning artists. Out of close to 350 entries received, a panel of three judges selected 19 envelopes as “Winners” (including two given the distinction "Best of Show"), and awarded “Honorable Mention” to 31 entries in the contest’s adult division. The judges, who met in June, also selected winners in the junior and children's divisions.

This year marks the 11th year of the contest, and the theme--anything beginning with P--inspired many original and beautiful entries. The judges looked for creative interpretation of the theme, skill in lettering and illustration, and effective use of color and design, among other criteria.

The contest was created in 1995 by the Smithsonian Institution's National Postal Museum, which administered it until delegating responsibility to the Washington Calligraphers Guild in 2001. Beginning in 2003, the National Association of Letter Carriers agreed to partner with the Washington Calligraphers Guild to sponsor the contest and exhibit the winners. In addition to promoting the art of calligraphy, the Graceful Envelope Contest celebrates the role of letters in binding people together and serves as a reminder that the people who deliver the mail are career government employees who take pride in their work and care about the communities they serve.

The entries were judged by three professionals in the graphic design and lettering fields: Ann Pope, a Washington-area calligraphy instructor and watercolor artist; Mary Lou O'Brian, owner of Special Awards calligraphy studio in Gaithersburg, MD; and Lorraine Swerdloff, Director of Communications of the National Association of Letter Carriers.

The winning adult division envelopes will be on display in the lobby of the National Association of Letter Carriers headquarters building, 100 Indiana Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20001, from Nov. 2005 to Aug. 2006. Open to the public free of charge Monday through Friday (except holidays), 8-6 Eastern time, the building is located near Union Station and the U.S. Capitol, at the intersection of Louisiana Ave. and First St. NW. If you need further information about visiting the exhibit, call 202-662-2851 or email.

View the 2005 winning Graceful Envelopes
Theme: Anything beginning with P
Thumbnails of winning entries:
Best in Show
Winners
Honorable Mention
Student Competition

Congratulations to the following winners of the 2005 Graceful Envelope Contest:

Best in Show:

Catherine Langsdorf - Charlotte, NC
Sue McKendrick - Mechanicsburg, PA

Winners:

Yukimi Annand - Torrance, CA
Jane Brenner - Santa Rosa, CA
Gloria Eckart - Plantation, FL
Jo Forsyth - Shoreline, WA
Lorrie Frear - Canandaigua, NY
Joan Iversen Goswell - Valencia, PA
Jeri Hobart - Iowa City, IA
Gerry Jackson Kerdok - Hudson, MA
Broncha Klainbaum - Sunny Isles, FL
Meredith Jane Klein - Albany, CA
Lynda Lawrence - Albuquerque, NM
Judith Leitch - Lake Mary, FL
Christine Meissner - Milwaukee, WI
Donna Sabolovic - Richardson, TX
Jan Saunders - Sedona, AZ
Peggy Shields Schiefelbein - Washington, DC
Karen Van Hatcher - Tigard, OR

Honorable Mention:

Michele Barnes - Virginia Beach, VA
Dochka Bonfield - Maple Shade, NJ
Sheryl Bracey - Hendersonville, TN
Erin Brown - Fairfield, PA
Dawn Rochelle Davis - Boise, ID
Carol DuBosch - Portland, OR
Philip Gagnon - Ashland, OR
Julie Gray - Asheville, NC
Marilyn Gray - Coral Springs, FL
Suzanne Morris Heany - Windermere, FL
Catherine Hogan - Moriarty, NM
Lilli Järvinen - Kangasala, Finland
G. Kemp - Greyton, South Africa
Amy Keng - Carrollton, TX
C.J. Kennedy - Sutton, MA
Dana Krouzilova - Brno, Czech Republic
Andrea Lehman - Corry, PA
Debra Lyman - San Diego, CA
Susan McBaine - San Francisco, CA
Jean McKeon - Tacoma, WA
Virginia Meltzer - Missoula, MT
Denice Nitschke - Yulee, FL
Jill Norvell - Reston, VA
Marie-Louise Pepin - Montréal, Québec Canada
Deborah Powell - Orange, CA
Carole Sauter - Maple Valley, WA
Cynthia Schubert - Portland, OR
Linda Upfold - Sydney, Australia
R. Vieira - Santa Monica, CA
Debbie Thompson Wilson - Guelph, Ontario Canada
Elaine Young - West Linn, OR

Graceful Envelope logo by Gini Ogle.

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