Art Directors Guild 2024 Honorees Set: David Lowery, Greg Papalia, Wynn P. Thomas & Francine West

The Art Directors Guild has a quartet of career honorees for its 2024 ADG Awards. David Lowery, Greg Papalia, Wynn P. Thomas and Francine West will be feted during its February 10 ceremony at Ovation Hollywood’s Ray Dolby Ballroom.

They’ll be honored along with The Morning Show director-producer Mimi Leder, who is set for the ADG’s Cinematic Imagery Award.

IATSE Local 800’s Illustrators and Matte Artists Council will present its Lifetime Achievement Award to Lowery, who has worked on more than 100 films including Jurassic Park, The Lion King and Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy. He was the Co-Head of Story on Shrek as well as Head of Storyboards and Associate Producer on every episode of The Mandalorian.

Papalia will receive his Lifetime Achievement Award from the ADG’s Set Designers & Model Makers Council. He began his career designing sets for films including Coming to America, Die Hard 2: Die Harder, Father of the Bride and The Patriot. Papalia later added the art director title to his résumé, combining that role with his previous one. He has served as both art director and set designer on projects including Air, Godzilla vs. Kong, Hail Caesar! and Those Who Wish Me Dead.

The Art Directors Council is also set to honor Thomas, the first Black production designer to join the guild. Thomas has won two ADG Awards for his production design on Hidden Figures and Da 5 Bloods, and his credits also include A Beautiful Mind, A Bronx Tale and Best Picture nominee King Richard. Thomas has a his long-standing creative relationship with Spike Lee, designed the director’s major films including Malcolm X and Do the Right Thing. Thomas recently completed a six-year term as one of three Governors of the Designers Branch of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences.

West will receive Lifetime Achievement Award recognition through the Scenic, Title and Graphic Artists Council. She was the first female scenic artist to work on film and television at MGM and NBC, as well as the first woman to be a charge artist at Grosh Scenic Studios in Hollywood. During her career, she also worked at the ABC and CBS scenic shops on TV shows including Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Music, The Carol Burnett Show and Three’s Company. She also worked on live events including the Oscars, the Emmys and Super Bowl XVII. 

Established in 1937, the Art Directors Guild represents 3,300 members who work in film, TV and theater as production designers and art directors; scenic, title and graphic artists; set designers and model makers; illustrators and matte artists.