Martin Grelle (American, born 1954)
Growing up in Clifton, Texas, where he still resides, Martin Grelle had the opportunity at an early age to benefit from the guidance of two important figures in Western and Texas art, James Boren and Melvin Warren. Both of those artists were early inductees into the prestigious Cowboy Artists of America and both had made Clifton their home. As a teenager and aspiring artist, Grelle approached Boren for a critique of his work. Boren and Warren became mentors of sorts to the young artist and he credits their guidance to this day as a primary factor in his success.
Like those artists, Grelle is a student of history who does meticulous research to prepare for each painting. A visual story teller with a strong narrative impulse, Grelle is also able to capture the details and nuances of the natural world. He frequently focuses on the lives of the Plains Indians of the 19th century and is intent on presenting their culture with historical accuracy and sensitivity. His painting, Winter’s Blanket is an excellent example of his ability to evoke as sense of being present in a particular place and time.
The portrait of a young woman wrapped in a colorful trade blanket standing in a snow covered landscape also is evidence of his skill in capturing the unique quality of winter light. In fact, he has said that one of his primary goals for each painting, “is to give the viewer the feeling of light. When they look at my work, I want them to feel like they are there. I also try to execute it in a way that leaves parts of the painting up to the viewer’s imagination, so they can enjoy the process of inventing the painting, along with me.” (M. Duty, The Cowboy Artists of America, Greenwich, CT,2002, p. 58-61).
Grelle was inducted into the Cowboy Artists of America in 1995. He is an award winning artist and includes the prestigious Prix de West prize awarded by the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City among his many honors.
Information courtesy of Heritage Auction Galleries, July 2009.