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
		________________________________
		President of the Senate
		I hereby certify that the
		above Resolution was adopted by
		the Senate on May 4, 2015.
		________________________________
		Secretary of the Senate
		________________________________
		Member, Texas Senate