Fellowship of Christians in Portraiture

Morgan Weistling is a brilliant young California artist whose work is attracting attention across the country. The book of his paintings, The Image of Christ, is in bookstores everywhere.

Morgan and his wife, JoAnn, met in art school and have been married eleven years. JoAnn still paints and will soon unveil her talents to the world. Incidentally, JoAnn is the beautiful girl who dragged Morgan to church. Their six-year-old daughter, Brittany, is often a model in Weistling's paintings. They live in southern California.

Morgan Weistling participates in both the Prix de West Invitational and Masters of the American West Exhibits. He won the Patron's Choice Award in the Masters show in 2000. Recently in 2001, he won the Prix de West Award as well as the Nona Jean Hulsey Buyer's Choice Award for his painting, "The Dance".

To find out more about Morgan and his art, and to order his book, The Image of Christ, visit his web site at:
www.morganweistling.com.

The Image of Christ
Book by Morgan Weistling.
Hardcover, 96 pages,
with numerous paintings in
color, with poetry, Scripture and commentary. Baker Books, Grand Rapids, MI 49516.

Personal Testimonies by Fellowship Members

God Challenged My "Perfect Life"
by Morgan Weistling

Ophelia
by Morgan Weistling

f you had said to me, fourteen years ago, that I would be painting images from the Bible and depicting my faith in Jesus someday, I would have thought you were crazy.

From early childhood I knew I was going to be an artist. Raised in a family of artists, I displayed a talent for drawing that was strongly encouraged. I went to art school at an early age, and all things "art" soon consumed my life. At nineteen, I was hired by one of the biggest movie poster agencies in Hollywood. I was living my dreams, and my family was proud. By the time I was 23, I had created many posters for big time movies and had received many accolades. Everything was perfect, or so I thought.

Kissing the Face of God
by Morgan Weistling

Then my so-called "perfect life" was challenged. I met a beautiful girl who captivated my heart. She asked me to go to church with her, and I gladly accepted. I didn't agree with anything I heard during the services and told her so. For six months we argued about Christianity. Frankly, her arguments did little to convince me that I needed Jesus. I told her that "art" was my "god" and that I was ok, because "I lead a 'clean' life and don't hurt anyone."

One Sunday, the pastor passed out sheets of paper and asked the congregation to write down any talents or abilities that they had to volunteer to help the church. As I sat there looking at the paper, it was as if God whacked me on the side of my head with a sledgehammer. I "woke up" and realized God was real, and that He was the one who had given me my talent for

The Promise
by Morgan Weistling

art. It may sound simple, but after years of practicing and sacrificing so much to be a good artist, it was hard to fathom that my talent was not my doing. I received Christ that day and became a Christian to everyone's amazement, including mine. Immediately, I knew I had to use my gift for His purposes.

I prayed that night that in some way God would use my art for His glory. Two days later, a major Christian ministry commissioned me to paint the covers for a new Christian video series for kids. It was confirmation that what had happened two days prior was not some dream. God was real! From that day forward, I have worked with many Christian companies that just "happened" to find me.

After a few years I was ready to take my art to the next level. I was a good student of the Bible and wanted to try my hand at depicting the Scriptures in paint. Today, through much of my work, I create paintings that reflect my faith in Christ.

Morgan Weistling
Southern California
December 2002

© Art on this page copyright by Morgan Weistling