It was recently announced that Tucson's "Tin Man" (and Tucson Weekly contributor) Rand Carlson, local painter Don Carter and glass artist Paul Anders-Stout are three of seven regional artists who've created awards for each of the 33rd annual Governor's Arts Awards. There are six categories and the Shelley Award to be presented on Tuesday, March 25 at The Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main Street in Mesa.

There are, of course, some deserving Tucson nominees in the mix this year:

Eighty-four nominations from 27 Arizona communities were submitted in six categories for the 33rd annual Governor's Arts Awards for individuals and businesses who have made substantial and outstanding contributions to arts and culture statewide.

The Governor's Arts Awards are presented by Arizona Citizens for the Arts in partnership with the Arizona Commission on the Arts and the Office of the Governor.

Since 1981, 158 artists, individuals, arts and cultural organizations, educators and businesses have received Governor's Arts Awards

Nominees, by category, and their hometowns are:

Artist: Eugene D. Anderson, Apache Junction; Jon Bonnell, Phoenix; Daniel Buckley, Tucson; Bobb Cooper, Phoenix; Derrick Suwaima Davis, Hotevilla; Maria Isabel Delgado, Chandler; Michael J. Eddy, Phoenix; Dr. Rose French, Phoenix; Deborah Hodder, Phoenix; Simon Kregar, Tucson; Lia Littlewood, Yuma; Danell Lynn, Phoenix; Joella Jean Mahoney, Sedona; Corinne McAuley, Surprise; Luis Mena, Tucson; Kirk O'Hara, Mesa; Renee Palmer-Jones, Anthem; Joseph Rodgers, Tucson; Michelle Rouch, Vail; Mike Vax, Dewey; Baje Whitethorne Sr., Flagstaff.

Arts in Education - Individual: Dr. Suzette Battan, Tucson; Dr. Robert Benson, Glendale; Chris Donlon, Mesa; Paula Humpage, Phoenix; Gay Kohl, Scottsdale; Kathleen & Selene Kupper, Phoenix; Adrienne Magee, Tucson; Sharon Seder Meko, Gilbert; Claude Pensis, Phoenix; Step Raptis, Mesa; Carolyn Robbins, Scotttsdale Melanie Sainz, Phoenix; Mark Sunkett, Mesa; Morgan Wells, Tucson; Stephen Wrentmore, Tucson.

Arts In Education - Organization: Arizona Artists Guild, Phoenix; Arizona Theatre Company Education Programs, Tucson; Arts Express, Tucson; Ballet Etudes, Gilbert; Copperstar Repertory Company, Chandler; EPIK Dance Company, Phoenix; Gold Canyon Arts Education, Gold Canyon; LDVinci Art Studio, Chandler; Mesa Community College Theatre and Film Program, Mesa; Rosie's House: A Music Academy for Children, Phoenix; Sahuarita High School Summer Youth Art Program, Sahuarita; Scottsdale Artists' School, Scottsdale; Sonoran Glass School, Tucson; The Symphony Women's Association, Tucson; Vitruvius Program at Summit School of Ahwatukee.

Business: BMO Harris Bank, Phoenix; Celebration of Fine Art, Scottsdale; General Growth Properties, Tucson.

Community: Artlink, Inc., Phoenix; City of Casa Grande Arts & Humanities Commission, Casa Grande; City of Peoria, Peoria; Flagstaff City-Coconino County Public Library, Flagstaff; Flagstaff Cultural Partners, Flagstaff; Grand Canyon Association Celebration of Art, Grand Canyon; KXCI Community Radio, Tucson; Looney Tooner Kitchen, Scottsdale; Phoenix Women's Chorus, Phoenix; Sierra Vista Symphony Orchestra Association, Sierra Vista; University of Arizona Poetry Center, Tucson; WHAM Art Organization, Surprise; William Eaton, Cottonwood; Young Arts Arizona Ltd., Phoenix.

Individual: Anni Beach, Chandler; Tom and Laurie Carmody, Phoenix; Grace Ann Etchebarria-Jacobs, Lake Havasu City; Sasha and Rodney Glassman, Phoenix; Robert Machiz, Scottsdale; Robert J Miley, Phoenix; Lora Lee Nye, Prescott Valley; Meribeth Reeves, Cave Creek; Monica Saldana, Goodyear; Julie Sasse, PhD, Tucson; Renee Smith, Yuma; Mayor Scott Smith, Mesa; John Wells, Tucson; Phelps & Kay Wilkins, Springerville; Steven Zylstra, Phoenix.

Honorees are selected by an independent panel of judges.

The eighth annual Shelley Award also will be presented to Drs. Helen and John Schaefer of Tucson for their lifelong commitment to advocacy for arts and culture, as well as their role in the creation of the Center for Creative Photography at the University of Arizona, and the U of A Poetry Center. The award is named for Shelley Cohn, who spent more than 25 years as executive director of the Arizona Commission on the Arts.