SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 343
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
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President of the Senate
I hereby certify that the
above Resolution was adopted by
the Senate on May 5, 2021.
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Secretary of the Senate
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Member, Texas Senate
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Member, Texas Senate