CHEYENNE - News that the American Egg Board picked an Illinois college student last year to decorate the official Wyoming Easter egg on display at the White House left workers at the Wyoming Arts Council and some resident egg artists boiling mad.

In response, the council has scrambled in recent months to find Wyoming artists to represent the state at the White House this Easter. The organization is determined to show that Wyoming eggs are hard to beat, and is already looking ahead to next year's competition.

Camellia El-Antably, deputy manager of the Arts Council, said Tuesday that her office asked artists around the state to submit samples of their work.

Thirty-three eggs are now on display at the council office in Cheyenne. State lawmakers at the ongoing legislative session are casting votes for which of the eggs will represent the state next year. The balloting will last until March 31.

The designs include plenty of wildlife, bucking horses, mountains and other outdoorsy themes.

First lady Nancy Freudenthal picked this year's state egg, decorated by artist Jules Webb of Cheyenne.

Webb said she received her invitation on Tuesday to attend the annual White House egg ceremony next month.

"I'm pretty excited and honored that my egg was chosen," Webb said. "I'm sure there were a lot of pretty incredible eggs."

Webb decorates her eggs using the Pysanky method, a Ukrainian technique that involves using wax to protect certain parts of the shell from absorbing dye.

El-Antably said one of her favorites among next year's candidates is an egg painted with a denim and kerchief motif. "It's a thoughtful way of thinking about the cowboy heritage of the state," she said.

The White House last year issued a press release stating that Philip M. LeDonne of Elmhurst, Ill., had decorated the "Wyoming" egg unveiled at the annual State Egg Display.

American Egg Board officials said last year that they couldn't find a Wyoming artist to design the egg and chose LeDonne, a college student and son of an egg board employee. LeDonne's design, a drawing of an egg on skis, was widely criticized by Wyoming officials.

This time, the Wyoming Arts Council is making sure that all entries are from bona fide Wyoming artists.