Wyoming Arts Council

Governor Mark Gordon Announces 2024 Governor’s Arts Award Recipients

Featured News, Program News | January 15, 2025

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Governor Mark Gordon is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2024 Governor’s Arts Awards. Six remarkable individuals will be recognized for their outstanding contributions to the arts in Wyoming during the 42nd Annual Governor’s Arts Awards banquet, where they will be celebrated by the Governor, First Lady, and other state leaders.

This year’s honorees are:

• Mike Kopriva, a talented painter from Powell, renowned for his western landscapes, still lifes, and portraits that capture the essence of the American West.
• Jane Lavino, Sugden Chief Curator of Education at the National Museum of Wildlife Art in Jackson, recognized for her dedication to arts education and curatorial excellence.
• T. Allen Lawson, a celebrated landscape artist from Sheridan, known for his stunning depictions of Wyoming’s natural beauty.
• Sue and Albert Sommers, advocates for the arts from Pinedale, honored for their longstanding commitment to promoting and supporting the arts in Wyoming. Sue is a painter, book artist, and printmaker; Albert served in the Wyoming legislature 2012-2024. The Sommers family has been ranching in Wyoming since about 1900.
• Willie LeClair (Posthumous) was an Eastern Shoshone spiritual leader, teacher, and storyteller from Riverton, recognized for his profound impact on Native American culture and the arts.

These honorees exemplify the rich cultural heritage and artistic spirit of Wyoming, and their work continues to inspire communities across the state. They will all be celebrated at a dinner and awards ceremony at the Little America Hotel and Resort in Cheyenne on Friday, February 28, 2025.

The Wyoming Governor’s Arts Awards were established in 1982. Winners are selected based on their substantial contributions that exemplify a long-term commitment to the arts through their outstanding impact, breadth of support, dedication to artistic excellence, and involvement in special initiatives supporting the arts.

There were many nominations submitted for this year’s awards and the selection process was competitive. Nominations were submitted to the Wyoming Arts Council in September, then reviewed in November by the Wyoming Arts Council Board. The board’s recommendations were submitted to the Governor for the final selection.

The Governor’s Arts Awards were first made possible by an endowment from the Union Pacific Foundation in honor of Mrs. John U. Loomis, a life-long patron of the arts. Over the years, individuals and organizations from more than 40 Wyoming communities and statewide organizations have been honored for their dedication to the arts in Wyoming.

For reservations to the dinner and awards ceremony, or for more information on this event, visit https://governorsartsawards.rsvpify.com.

For additional information, contact Mandy Connelley with the Wyoming Arts Council at mandy.connelley@wyo.gov or 307-214-2701.

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