SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 679
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 Senate of the State of Texas, 84th
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.
Menéndez
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on May 4, 2015.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate