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Official Texas State Artists

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The Texas state artists are selected for one-year appointments by the Texas Poet Laureate, State Musician and State Artist Committee.

1971-1972Joe Ruiz Grandee, Arlington

no alternate
1972-1973Melvin C. Warren, Clifton

no alternate
1973-1974Ronald Thomason, Weatherford

A. C. Gentry, Jr., Tyler, alternate
1974-1975Jo Rader Roberts, Dripping Springs

Bette Lou Voorhis, Austin, alternate
1975-1976Jack White, New Braunfels

no alternate
July 4, 1975 -

July 4, 1976
Robert Summer, Glen Rose, Bicentennial Artist
1976-1977James Boren, Clifton

Kenneth Wyatt, Lubbock, alternate
1977-1978Edward "Buck" Shiwetz, DeWitt County

Renne Hughes, Tarrant County, alternate
1978-1979Jack Cowan, Rockport

Gary Henry, Palo Pinto County, alternate

Joyce Tally, Caldwell County, alternate
1979-1980Dalhart Windberg, Travis County

Grant Lathe, Canyon Lake, alternate
1980-1981Harry Ahysen, Huntsville

Jim Reno, Simonton, alternate
1981-1982Jerry Newman, Beaumont

Raul Gutierrez, San Antonio, alternate
1982-1983Dr. James H. Johnson, Bryan

Armando Hinojosa, Laredo, alternate
1983-1984Raul Gutierrez, San Antonio

James Eddleman, Lubbock, alternate
1984-1985Covelle Jones, Lubbock

Ragan Gennusa, Dripping Springs, alternate
1985-1986Ragan Gennusa, Dripping Springs
1986-1987Chuck DeHaan, Graford
1987-1988Neil Caldwell, Angleton

Rey Gaytan, Austin, alternate
1988-1989George Hallmark, Walnut Springs

Tony Eubanks, Grapevine, alternate
 
appointed 1990Mondel Rogers, Sweetwater, Two-dimensional

Ron Wells, Cleveland, Three-dimensional
 
appointed 1991Woodrow Foster, Center, Two-dimensional

Harold Phenix, Houston, alternate

Kent Ullberg, Corpus Christi, Three-dimensional

Mark Clapham, Conroe, alternate
1993-1994Roy Lee Ward, Two-dimensional

James Eddleman, Lubbock, Three-dimensional
1994-1995Frederick Carter, El Paso, Two-dimensional

Garland Weeks, Wichita Falls, Three-dimensional
1996none designated
1997-1998Ernesto Martinez, El Paso, Two-dimensional

Jim Reno, Kerrville, Three-dimensional
 
1998-1999Carl Rice Embrey, San Antonio, Two-dimensional

Edd Hayes, Humble, Three-dimensional
2000-2002none designated
2003Ralph White, Austin, Two-dimensional

Dixie Friend Gay, Houston, Three-dimensional
2004Sam Caldwell, Houston, Two-dimensional

David Hickman, Dallas, Three-dimensional
2005Kathy Vargas, San Antonio, Two-dimensional

Sharon Kopriva, Houston, Three-dimensional
2006George Boutwell, Clifton, Two-dimensional

James Surls, Athens, Three-dimensional
2007Lee Herring, Rockwall, Two-dimensional

David Keens, Arlington, Three-dimensional
2008Janet Eager Krueger, Encinal, Two-dimensional

Damian Priour, Austin, Three-dimensional
2009Rene Alvarado, San Angelo, Two-dimensional

Eliseo Garcia, Dallas, Three-dimensional
2010Marc Burckhardt, Austin, Two-dimensional

John Bennett, Fredericksburg, Three-dimensional
2011

Melissa Miller, Austin, Two-dimensional

Jesus Moroles, Rockport, Three-dimensional

2012

Karl Umlauf, Waco, Two-dimensional

Bill FitzGibbons, San Antonio, Three-dimensional

2013

Jim Woodson, Waco, Two-dimensional

Joseph Havel, Houston, Three-dimensional

2014

Julie Speed, Marfa, Two-dimensional

Ken Little, Canyon, San Antonio, Three-dimensional

2015

Vincent Valdez, San Antonio, Two-dimensional

Margo Sawyer, Austin, Three-dimensional

2016

Dornith Doherty, Denton, Two-dimensional

Dario Robleto, Houston, Three-dimensional

2017

Kermit Oliver, Waco, Two-dimensional

Beverly Penn, Austin, Three-dimensional

2018

Sedrick Huckaby, Benbrook, Two-dimensional

Beili Liu, Austin, Three-dimensional

2019

Mary McCleary, Nacogdoches, Two-dimensional

Rick Lowe, Houston, Three-dimensional

2020

Earlie Hudnall Jr., Houston, Two-dimensional

Gabriel Dawe, Dallas, Three-dimensional

2021

Annette Lawrence, Denton, Two-dimensional

Jennifer Ling Datchuk, San Antonio, Three-dimensional

2022

Celia Álvarez Muñoz, Arlington, Two-dimensional

Jesse Lott, Houston, Three-dimensional

2023

Gaspar Enriquez, San Elizario, Two-dimensional

James Watkins, Lubbock, Three-dimensional

2024

Michael Ray Charles, Houston, Two-dimensional

Diana Kersey, San Antonio, Three-dimensional

2025

Angelbert Metoyer, Houston, Two-dimensional

Steve Parker, Austin, Three-dimensional

2026

Letitia Huckaby, Benbrook, Two-dimensional

Linda Ridgway, Dallas, Three-dimensional

 



Page last modified: December 19, 2025