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.

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Secretary of the Senate

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Member, Texas Senate