H.R. No. 2456
R E S O L U T I O N
WHEREAS, The Texas Commission on the Arts has announced the
2015 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 2015 State Poet Laureate is San Antonio native
Carmen Tafolla, a prolific poet, storyteller, performance artist,
and motivational speaker who has earned critical acclaim for her
work; she has published more than 20 books and is one of the most
widely anthologized Latina writers today; chosen as the first Poet
Laureate of the City of San Antonio in 2012, she visited over 300
schools, universities, professional conferences, and community
arts centers during the course of her two-year tenure; she has been
accorded a host of accolades, which include the coveted Americas
Award presented to her at the Library of Congress in 2010; and
WHEREAS, Legendary Austin-based guitarist Jimmie Vaughan is
this year's State Musician; as a founding member of The Fabulous
Thunderbirds, Vaughan helped spark the revival of blues music on
the pop charts with the release of eight albums and the success of
hits like "Tuff Enuff"; he received two Grammy nominations with the
band and later launched a solo career in 1994, gaining further
prominence in the realm of modern roots music; his masterful
playing, defined by vigor, authenticity, and originality, has
earned him the admiration of such icons as Eric Clapton and B. B.
King, and he was cited as the most formative influence on the career
of his younger brother, the late Stevie Ray Vaughan; and
WHEREAS, Vincent Valdez has been selected as the 2015 State
Two-Dimensional Artist; he was educated at the renowned Rhode
Island School of Design, and in 2004, a collection of his charcoal
drawings was shown at the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio, making
him the youngest artist, at age 26, to ever have a solo exhibition
there; his work is now widely featured at such venues as the Los
Angeles County Museum of Art and the Smithsonian Museum; born and
raised in San Antonio, he currently serves as chair of the Drawing
and Painting Department at the Southwest School of Art; and
WHEREAS, Named the 2015 State Three-Dimensional Artist,
sculptor Margo Sawyer of Elgin studied in England at the Brighton
Polytechnic Faculty of Art and Design and at the Chelsea School of
Art in London, before returning stateside to enroll in the Yale
University sculpture program; through her work, she explores the
concepts of space and transcendence, and she has recently
specialized in creating large-scale installations that reflect her
interest in architecture; she has been exhibited nationally and
internationally, and in addition to pursuing her artistic vision,
she is a professor of sculpture and studio art at The University of
Texas at Austin; 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 House of Representatives of the 84th Texas
Legislature hereby congratulate the 2015 Texas Commission on the
Arts honorees and extend to them sincere best wishes for continued
fulfillment in their creative endeavors.
Guillen
______________________________
Speaker of the House
I certify that H.R. No. 2456 was adopted by the House on May
7, 2015, by a non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House