SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 684
WHEREAS, The Texas Commission on the Arts has announced the
2014 appointments for the positions of State Poet Laureate, State
Musician, State Two-Dimensional Artist, and State
Three-Dimensional Artist; and
WHEREAS, The state's highest accolade for excellence in the
arts, designation as a Texas State Artist is conferred on those
individuals who represent the best of our rich and diverse
artistic community and who inspire others through their unique
creative expression; and
WHEREAS, The 2014 Texas State Poet Laureate, Dean Young,
holds the William Livingston Chair of Poetry at The University of
Texas at Austin; known for his extravagant imagery, he has earned
a national reputation as one of the most energetic and
influential poets of his day; to date, he has published 15 books
of poetry and one volume of prose on the aesthetics of poetry; his
writing is regularly anthologized in the annual Best American
Poetry series, and he is the recipient of a Guggenheim
Fellowship, two National Endowment for the Arts Fellowships, and
a host of accolades, including the American Academy of Arts and
Letters Literature Award; and
WHEREAS, Accordion virtuoso Leonardo "Flaco" Jimenez has
been named the 2014 Texas State Musician; over the years, he has
introduced conjunto to countless people around the world as a
founding member of the Texas Tornados, and he has performed with
such roots music icons as Bob Dylan, Dr. John, and Ry Cooder and
recorded with Los Super Seven; Mr. Jimenez has been honored with
five Grammys, a Lifetime Achievement Award from Billboard Latin
Magazine, and a 2012 National Endowment for the Arts National
Heritage Fellowship; and
WHEREAS, Selected as the 2014 Texas State Two-Dimensional
Artist, Julie Speed of Marfa has devoted herself to painting and
other media since moving to Texas in 1978; her work has been
widely exhibited across the nation, and it is familiar to many
popular music fans through her cover for Shawn Colvin's album A
Few Small Repairs; The University of Texas Press has published
Julie Speed: Paintings, Constructions, and Works on Paper, and
the artist has been the subject of a documentary titled Queen of
Her Room; and
WHEREAS, A native of Canyon, Ken Little is the 2014 Texas
State Three-Dimensional Artist; his work has been featured in
more than 250 group exhibitions and over 45 solo exhibitions, and
it is held in many public and private collections; Mr. Little has
been awarded numerous grants, among them two major fellowships
from the National Endowment for the Arts, and his sculpture is
the subject of two monographs and a retrospective catalogue;
since 1988, he has served as a professor of visual art at The
University of Texas at San Antonio; and
WHEREAS, The artists who have been selected to hold these
prestigious posts have all greatly contributed to the vibrant
cultural life of the Lone Star State, and Texas is indeed
fortunate to be home to these talented individuals; now,
therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 83rd
Legislature, hereby congratulate the 2014 Texas Commission on
the Arts honorees and extend to them sincere best wishes for
continued fulfillment in their creative endeavors; and, be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be prepared in
honor of these outstanding artists as an expression of esteem
from the Texas Senate.
Deuell
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on April 30, 2013.
________________________________
Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate