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