Internationally known pop-art pioneer Jann Haworth, who probably is tired of hearing about the Sgt. Pepper album* cover that is celebrating its 50th anniversary this month, was honored Wednesday with a Governor’s Mansion Artist Award from Gov. Gary Herbert and First Lady Jeanette.
Jann Haworth and grandson Kenny celebrate her medal.
Leonardo Artistic Director Haworth’s most recent passion is the collaborative Work in Progress (top of page), a collage of women leaders and innovators through history that she created with her daughter artist Liberty Blake. The 20-foot x 8-foot work is traveling the country—next stop is the Emmanuel Gallery in Denver. At each stop, additional panels will be added.
After the first lady described the Sgt. Pepper cover as an “icon,” Haworth remarked that it’s time for an iconoclast to tear into it because that’s what artists are meant to do.
Watanabes in a piano duo
Also honored were Vera Oussetskaia Watanabe and Eugene Watanabe, classically trained musicians who founded the Gifted Music School in 2008. The school trains 450 students a comprehensive music education. The school recently introduced GRIT, a public school-outreach program for at-risk children.
* Haworth co-designed the Beatle’s Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album cover with then-husband Peter Blake.
