James Rooker’s award is housed in

an unassuming deep blue cloth-covered case that opens to the image shown at left, meant to suggest at first glance a piano keyboard.  What one is seeing, of course,

is a repeat pattern of the University of Kentucky’s logo--its counter a silhouette of the campus chapel’s spire. The illusion was heightened by rendering the letters with a gleaming pearl white ink on dark blue, almost black, Fabriano paper.

The award actually consists of a single folded sheet offset so that when the shorter upper leaf is lifted, the award text can be read without losing any of the visual impact

of the keyboard illusion.

 Mr. Rooker’s name is written in a lively script-Italic--my attempt to capture a sense of musical flow in formal broad-edge lettering

in recognition of Mr. Rooker’s lifelong dedication to teaching music.

  . 

©ann alaia woods 2008