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For 30 years, Jay Williams has run the Jay Williams Design Company, designing brochures, posters and Web sites from his home in Beltsville.

He only recently delved into sculpture, designing works for his nephew to sculpt, and their work could eventually end up in the White House.

Williams, 68, was commissioned last year by the Tampa Bay Academy of Hope Inc., a Tampa-based school for at-risk teens, to design a bronze sculpture honoring President Obama and his late grandmother, Madelyn Dunham.

"It was a thrill," Williams said. "They're really proud of what they're doing."

Williams began working in bronze sculpture in 2006, when he wanted to make a sculpture honoring his son, Jeffrey, an accomplished high school dancer and the youngest of his three children.

Williams examined photographs of his son, developed a design for a miniature statue, and sent it to his nephew, Drew Williams, a sculptor in San Francisco.

"I gave him a year to get it done," he said. "I got such a big reception from everybody there that I said, ‘Oh gee, maybe I can make this into a business.'"

Soon after, Williams was contacted by Marine Barracks Washington, D.C. The barracks, the oldest active U.S. Marines post in the U.S., needed a trophy for its ceremonial drill competitions.

Williams' creation, three bronze Marines on a wood base, was a big hit at the barracks, he said.

"It was a great privilege to present it to the troops over there," he said. "That was a pretty exciting moment."

Williams has since gone on to design and supervise production of trophies and awards for clients including the Wildlife Management Institute, based in St. Johnsbury, Vt.

"The award he designed was incredible," said WMI president Steven Williams. "It was really beautiful."

Williams also designed a series of awards plaques for the Tampa Bay Academy of Hope Inc. They contacted him a second time, requesting the Obama sculpture.

"He's very detailed in his work," said academy director James Evans. "Everything he's done has been remarkable."

The Tampa school attempted to present the piece to Obama during an April trip to Washington, D.C. They were not able to arrange a meeting with him but have invited Obama to a June 27 awards banquet in Tampa.

Evans said he was contacted by White House officials who said they could decide in the next week or two whether to attend.

"[The Academy of Hope students] are really nice kids," Williams said."I just hope the kids get what they want and their dreams come true."

Williams said he will likely stick to sculpture and graphic and Web design and not enter any new media. He said he plans to continue running his business from the basement of his home for the foreseeable future.

"I have no plans to retire," he said. "I like what I do, so retirement's not in my vocabulary."

E-mail David Hill at dhill@gazette.net.