Christy Stallop’s oil paintings are vignettes of the west, depicted through a few of its unwitting icons, including grackles, bandanas and local landmarks. Best known for her lovable grackles painted in oil, Stallop imbues her emotionally intelligent sense of humor into her work. “Sometimes you need something that makes you smile,” she has said. A lifelong creative, Stallop refined her painting technique over years of teaching art, as is evident in the formal qualities of her work. Her ability to render her whimsical subjects so beautifully grounds her paintings, allowing viewers to connect with her work in an unexpected way.