Melanie Martinez

Melanie Martinez is a social realist painter working primarily in oil. Her subject matter could be considered Americana with a twist. Like a reporter investigating a story, she seeks relationships between communities and their residents–the Who, What, Where, When, and Why.

Born in Austin, but raised in the nearby Army town of Killeen, Melanie knew to get back to Austin as soon as possible. With her interest in journalism, she received a BA in English from the University of Texas at Austin in 1986 and worked as an editor and writer at several newspapers and magazines in Texas, Chicago, and Mexico City. Over the years, Melanie shifted her work toward horticulture, historic preservation, and even playing bass in a local band. This deeply ingrained interest in bioregionalism, combined with the questioning nature of a reporter, inspires her work, no matter the medium or subject.