TITLE: Recognizing Martin Grelle for his artistic achievements.

SUMMARY: Recognizing Martin Grelle for his artistic achievements.

FULL TEXT:
WHEREAS, Martin Grelle, a Clifton native and a professional painter, has gained significant acclaim among Western art enthusiasts and collectors through his portrayals of life on the American frontier; and WHEREAS, Mr. Grelle began drawing and painting at an early age, and when he was in high school, the two artists who would have a great influence on his career, James Boren and Melvin Warren, moved into the area; he benefited from the mentorship of James Boren, and he held his first solo exhibition at a local gallery within a year of graduating from high school in 1973; 47 years later, he has produced more than 30 solo exhibitions, including shows with the Texas Art Gallery in Dallas and with the Overland Gallery and Legacy Gallery in Scottsdale, Arizona; and WHEREAS, Mr. Grelle's paintings feature cowboys, Native Americans, and cavalrymen in scenes set against the unspoiled beauty of the Old West; he fulfilled a long-held dream when he was invited to join the Cowboy Artists of America in 1995, and that year, he was called upon to participate in the first Prix de West Invitational at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City; since then, he has twice won the Prix de West Purchase Award and numerous other Buyers' Choice Awards, along with many silver and gold awards in the categories of oil, water solubles, and drawings; and WHEREAS, For his lifetime achievements as an artist, Mr. Grelle was recognized with the Legacy Award by the Briscoe Western Art Museum in 2012 and with the Spirit of the West Award by the San Dimas Festival of Arts in 2016; his work has appeared at a host of invitational exhibitions across the country, including Masters of the American West at the Autry Museum in Los Angeles and the Quest for the West at the Eiteljorg Museum in Indianapolis, and he has been featured in such magazines as Art of the West,Western Art Collector,and Western Art & Architecture;and WHEREAS, Mr. Grelle has been president of the Cowboy Artists of America, and he has served as a board member and president of the Joe Beeler Foundation, a CAA initiative that provides scholarship opportunities for artists seeking to improve their skills; and WHEREAS, Through his stirring depictions of a bygone era, Martin Grelle has contributed to the rich artistic heritage of the Lone Star State, and his work is a source of joy to countless patrons and admirers of Western art; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 87th Legislature, hereby honor Martin Grelle for his artistic achievements and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success; and, be it further RESOLVED, That an official copy of this Resolution be prepared for Mr. Grelle as an expression of high regard from the Texas Senate. Hughes, Birdwell President of the Senate I hereby certify that the above Resolution was adopted by the Senate on May 5, 2021.