Charles Simonyi Will Qualify for the Space Tourism Society Dennis Tito Award by Recognition Artist Eileen Borgeson for his Historic Civilian Space Flight

Hawaii artist Eileen Borgeson has created four significant recognition art pieces for the Space Travel and Exploration community including the exclusive Dennis Tito Award. Charles Simonyi who pioneered personal computing and Microsoft Word and Excel software is now also pioneering the space tourism industry as the fifth civilian space traveler. Charles historic flight and stay at the International Space Station will soon make him eligible to receive the Space Tourist Society Dennis Tito Award. The Dennis Tito award is two feet high comprised of four sculptures created by Eileen.

Dennis Tito, Mark Shuttleworth and Greg Olsen, the first three space tourists, were honored last year with the first three of Eileen’s Dennis Tito Awards sponsored by Saxton Industrial at the 25th International Space Development Conference (ISDC06) Orbit Award Dinner. The National Space Society and The Space Tourism Society co-hosted the event.

Last September Anousheh Ansari became the 4th private space traveler to be eligible for a Dennis Tito Award with her trip to the ISS. At the X Prize Cup, Anousheh was presented with another of Eileen’s Recognition Art pieces, the EArt Space Ambassador Laser Crystal sponsored by Crystal Magic for her continuing efforts to promote peace and understanding among nations through sharing her space experience and awareness.

The Ansari family has also received two more recognition pieces by Eileen. The first, the Space Tourist Society Holographic Crystal Orbit Award, co-created with holography pioneer Jeff Allen, was presented at the ISDC06 Orbit Awards event. The Orbit Award crystals were sponsored by Interior Systems. The Ansari family was honored for their contribution in helping to launch the private space travel industry with their title participation of the $10 Million Ansari X Prize won by Burt Rutan and Paul Allen, also recipients of the Orbit Award. Other Orbit Award recipients included: Dr. Buzz Aldrin, Sir Richard Branson, Colonel Rick Searfoss, Robert Bigelow, Eric Anderson, Leonard David, X Prize Foundation and Zero Gravity Corp.

The second art piece by Eileen, her X Prize Vision Circle Jewelry Pins was presented at the Google Radical Benefit for Humanity Gala hosted by Larry Page at the Google Headquarters. The Ansari Family and six other Vision Circle members were presented these first Pins for being visionaries and their largest contributors supporting the growth of X Prize Foundation and their ongoing efforts to create future prizes for space, education, poverty, and the environment.

Eileen insures fine art quality in her recognition creations by her personal attention to detail. She even made satin pillows for the pins to rest on in native Koa wood boxes handmade in Hawaii where Eileen has one of her studios. The X Prize logo was laser engraved into the lid then inlaid with abalone shell. A laser sequentially numbered and burnt Eileen’s signature on the inside of the lid which also included a hologram of our planet.

Eileen has been involved within the fine art world for over 30 years and has now become a major supporter of the expanding New Space Travel and Exploration Age. Her art is just as easily found in a trophy case as well in private and corporate collections world wide. She has collaborated with many other artists or their estates, including: Erte, Maxfield Parrish, Chuck Jones, Chuck Jones and Al Hirschfeld. Her recognition art has been commissioned by: Warner Bros., Disney, Fox, Universal, Sony, Promax, Culinary Institute, City of Hope, United Way and President Ronald Reagan. Recipients, include: B. B. King, Dalai Lama, Elton John, Hugh Hefner, Bob Hope and Larry Page.

Creating art worthy of the accomplishments that the individuals and organization are being acknowledged for is a satisfying challenge Eileen approaches passionately. A sampling of her artistic versatility and styles can be seen on line at www.EileenBorgeson.com.