Congratulations to this year's winners of the IEA's prestigious La Vendéenne Awards. Artistry: Barbara Cone. Education: Gail Steinberg. Innovation: Michael Billie. Media: Douglas Mehrens. Lifetime Achievement Award: Miles Conrad

The La Vendéenne [la vahn day en] Awards are named in honor of a fourth century female encaustic artist, Laia, whose buried remains were found--along with the tools of her encaustic art -- in the La Vendée region of France.