Navasota resident wins ribbons at State Fair of Texas

The State Fair of Texas, established in 1886 and held in Dallas each year, is the longest-running and one of the largest in the nation. Navasota resident Geny Heywood won several arts and crafts awards in the Teachers and Professional categories. Her entries included paintings on canvas, china, clay and other objects, crochet, handmade dolls, a thimble collection, etc.

Heywood received a first-place ribbon in the Designer Craftsman State Fair Theme category with her painted boots and picture combination. It depicts boots, including a 3-D snake, being lassoed by astronaut Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space. In 1992 she and six others were on the Space Shuttle Endeavour.

Also in the Designer Craftsman category, Heywood won second place for her handmade wooden child's garden bench and painted tools. The bench is reversible allowing a child to lean or sit depending on how it's turned. It has paintings of garden creatures and children. Heywood said, "I also painted it with a child in a wheelchair so that any child would be encouraged." 

Heywood often creates art meant for children. In the last few years, she has written children's books illustrated with her art. She also teaches art and music to children in her home which she has turned into a studio. One of her students is Mayor Charlie McMillan of Whitehall who was elected when he was 7 months old in 2019. He calls Heywood "Grandma Geny." 

His mother Nancy Jane McMillan said that Heywood began giving him art and music lessons when he was 18 months old. "His days at Grandma Geny’s have always been filled with art and music. He has had exposure to the cello, violin, guitar, piano and other instruments,” said McMillan. “Geny has always said if you pour information into a child’s brain, you never know what will stick. She talks to him about art, music, science, history and interesting facts. Geny is a national treasure and Navasota is so fortunate to have her here."

Heywood said she is interested in exposing children to the arts at an early age because, "Every child is an artist and an intellectual waiting to be discovered.” Heywood's work has embodied The Fair’s stated purpose, "to promote Texas agriculture, education, and community involvement through quality entertainment in a family-friendly environment."  

Heywood Fair ribbons include:

• 1st place for her thimble collection in the Collections category.

• 2nd place in the Handcrafted Dolls category for her homemade cloth dolls.

• 3rd place for her hand-painted china in category Decorated, Any Subject.

• 3rd place for her angel sculpture in the Polymer Clay category.

• Honorable mention for a hand-painted angel sculpture in the Ceramics and Hand-Painted China category.

• Honorable mention in the Glue-a-Shoe category for her decorated high-heeled shoe.

Next year the Fair will run from Sept. 29 through Oct. 22, 2023. For more information visit bigtex.com.