Cowboy artist Martin Grelle to judge Bosque Art Classic

• Martin Grelle

The BAC Art Council recently announced that Martin Grelle will serve as judge for the 39th Annual Bosque Art Classic.

Grelle, a Bosque County native, has been a member of the Cowboy Artists of America since 1995.

He has continued to mentor and encourage fellow artists in the tradition of his early influences, James Boren and Melvin Warren. Among his many honors—which include being a three-time winner of the Prix de West Buyers’ Choice Award—he has received the Briscoe Museum’s Legacy Award for his impact on the world of western art, as well as the Booth Museum’s Artist of Excellence Award. In 2021 the Texas Senate recognized Grelle’s lifelong contributions to the arts, hailing him as a “Texas treasure” whose work “is an enduring homage to the beauty of the Lone Star State.”

The Bosque Art Classic is an annual juried & judged national art show & sale hosted by the BAC Art Council. Begun in 1986, over the years it has also drawn entries from international artists as well.

The show is open to all artists who create realistic/representational art. Categories are Drawing, Oil/Acrylic, Pastel, Sculpture, and Water Media. First & second place awards are given to pieces in each category. Additional awards include the Art Patrons Purchase Award ($1,000 in addition to the sale price), New Entrant Award ($1,000), the Boren-Selvidge Award ($1,000), and the coveted John Steven Jones Purchase Award* ($5,000 which includes sale price).

The 2024 prospectus is now available online, and entries may be made. The deadline for entering the show is May 29, 2024.

Digital images only are accepted initially (either online or on CD by mail). Acceptance letters generally go out mid-July. Artwork is received in late August for the judge to view the works and judge in person. Awards are announced and presented at the opening reception held in September each year.

Past winners of the John Steven Jones or Art Patrons purchase awards include Don Weller, Xiang Zhang, Mikel Donahue, Steven Lang, Dana Lombardo, Kathy Tate, William Schneider, Jeff Segler, Romel de la Torre, & many others. Entries in the Art Classic usually number between 600-900 pieces.

The artwork that wins the Art Patrons Purchase Award becomes a part of the Bosque Arts Center's Permanent Collection. This collection is displayed throughout the year for the public to enjoy for free.