Grackle by Christina Green-Martinez

Grackle
Christina Green-Martinez
Acrylic on canvas board
10"h x 13"w - framed
2025

The common Grackle, we see them everywhere.  This one is also part of my Travis county bird series.  This bird seems to have a bad reputation.  They are described as opportunistic and will steal food from other birds, scavenge on the ground and trash cans.  There is even a warning at a restaurant I visit.  "Beware of the grackles, they're quick".  You can't leave your food unattended.  thought they deserved a little recognition since they do eat a lot of bugs and cleanup food that is dropped on the ground.

Get to Know the Austin Artist:
Chris Green-Martinez began her creative journey in Manchester, England. She attended the Manchester High School of Art, laying a strong foundation for a life devoted to visual expression.
After serving in the British Army, Chris relocated to the United States and earned a BA in Art Education from the University of Texas at Austin. She works in a variety of media including watercolor, acrylic, oil and mixed media.
Her practice includes plein air painting, as well as a more recent focus on a distinctive blend of geometric abstraction and realistic imagery inspired in part by visionary architect and philosopher Buckminster Fuller and renowned New Mexican artist, Georgia O’Keefe.
In 2001, she moved to Taos, New Mexico for what she calls a great adventure and immersed herself in a new artistic community consisting of native Pueblos, locals and international transplants.
After 9 years, she and her husband moved back to Austin. In 2018, Chris began volunteering at Imagine Art which allowed her to exhibit during the Austin Eastside Studio Tour. This collaboration turned into a long-term relationship that led to an AmeriCorps’ artist-in-residency, sharing her skills and passion with a community of disabled artists.
Today, Chris Green-Martinez continues to push creative boundaries while staying grounded in her deep love of the natural world and the transformative power of art.