Unlike Lewis Carroll’s famous literary character, Morgan Weistling’s Alice has managed to catch her white rabbit without having to dive down his hole after him. A featured work at the 2011 Jackson Hole Art Auction, Alice sold for over $86,000, far exceeding the auction’s estimated sale price. Alice showcases the blend of vibrant approach and outstanding execution that has made Morgan one of the country’s most important contemporary painters. With his masterful use of oils, Morgan Weistling brings this simple scene to life. Spectacular lighting combined with gentle brushworks and impressions create this dreamlike image. A period piece with a modern-day flair, Alice is as timeless a work as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, first published in 1865. “I tried to capture the fun and imaginative world of children and their pets,” says Weistling. “This young girl and her furry friend were easy inspiration to spur this painting on.”
Alice exceeded the auction’s estimate because it so perfectly represents the bridge between the contemporary look and classic painting style that Weistling is renowned for. Our Greenwich Workshop Fine Art Edition delivers all the subtle nuances and color harmonies Morgan wove into his original work. Now you, along with the unsuccessful bidders at the Jackson Hole Auction, have the opportunity to own Alice. The even better news is that our price is set and you don’t have to worry about it rising. That is at least until this edition of 75 Sells Out!

Nestled in the patchwork comfort of a homemade quilt, rest comes easily for "Carolina" and her companion in this stylish SmallWorks™ treasure

Morgan Weistling’s contemporary impressionism describes a timeless America of the not-too-distant past, as well as the beauty of everyday childhood moments. His 2009 Greenwich Workshop release, "A Helping Hand," graced the cover of "Western Art Collector" last June and "Confidante," his November release, is the cover image of "Art of the West" for November/December 2009. Weistling has won numerous prestigious awards including recent awards from the Autry Museum of Western Heritage and the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum.

With his masterful use of oils, artist Morgan Weistling brings a scene to life and engages our imagination and emotion."Patterns and shapes, arranged in a pleasing design, are the basis for Dreams in Gold," says Weistling. "I love taking a simple story of a girl who has fallen asleep after reading in bed, and breaking it down to an abstract design. Painting her from above, everything looked new to me. Shapes flattened out and felt dreamlike and floating. This perspective suspended her in a state of weightlessness. Surrounding her in yellows and warm gold colors added to the peacefulness of her mood."

Two Prix De West Purchase Awards and Five Patron’s Choice awards (from The Master’s of the American West) would be the earmark of an impressive career for any artist. That Morgan Weistling has accomplished this feat in just over a ten year period is a stunning achievement and testimony to the artist’s commitment to perfection.
Flour Child is prime example of why Morgan is held in such high regard. Collector’s bid furiously over this original at this year’s Coeur D’Alene Auction. Regarded one of the finest figurative painters today, his combination of technical prowess and acuity for depicting the nuances of the human spirit are what set him apart from others.
“When I first get an idea for a painting,” explains Weistling, “I usually know it’s worth pursuing if the title comes with it quickly. I find endless fascination with the world that children create in their imaginations. When I set little Madison on the floor to explore the world of baking and told her she could play with the flour, I knew magic would happen. Of course, I will be finding flour residue in my studio for years to come. It was an epic mess but it brought me great inspiration.”
Achieving popular appeal and critical acclaim is no simple task for any artist. Works such as Flour Child are a prime example of why Morgan is held in such high regard. Discover just how breathtaking and accessible the art of Morgan Weistling can be when you purchase a Greenwich Workshop Fine Art Giclee Canvas.

In June,2008, to the surprise of absolutely no one with their finger on the pulse of the art world, Morgan Weistling’s "Indian Stories" was announced as the winner of the 2008 Prix de West Purchase Award. About the painting Weistling said,“I wanted to capture the tradition of storytelling on canvas and worked on the idea for several years.The painting began with the idea of a grandfather telling stories of his adventures on the Oregon Trail. His grandchildren become completely absorbed by his tale of how he was befriended by the Blackfoot Indians and their gift of the pipe.While we can imagine that this is not the first time their grandmother has heard the story, her delight is in the children’s reactions.”

Sculptor Brian Keith brings breathtaking three-dimensional life into Morgan Weistling’s Kissing the Face of God. We can easily relate to the wonder of the bond between a mother and child, but can only “imagine” what it would be like to embrace the baby Jesus. This beautiful bronze reminds us that sometimes a complicated leap of faith is as simple as a kiss.
Morgan Weistling didn’t think twice about who would create the first bronze of one of his most important and popular works, sculptor Brian Keith. Of course, it didn’t hurt that Brian served a modern day apprenticeship under Morgan. “A program such as this is going to be judged by the quality of your first effort. You don’t get a second chance. 'Kissing the Face of God' relies on and is so successful because it captures that tender interaction between a mother and her child. The bronze has to convey this delicate relationship and I think Brian has done a spectacular job in doing so.”
It was Brian Keith’s long relationship with Morgan that was the key factor in getting this first-ever bronze of a Weistling work off the ground. Each artist trusted the instincts of the other, working together to bring one of the most moving pieces of art from one medium to another.
“The painting was first inspired by a song that I heard one day,” relates Weistling. “Sometimes, hearing one phrase is all it takes, and then a flood of inspiration follows. The phrase “kissing the face of God” immediately struck me with this powerful image of Mary and the Baby Jesus. It is an image that we have seen depicted many times, but never simply as a mother and her child with real tenderness. I started to contemplate the awesome privilege that Mary was given, being able to hold God in her arms, but also keeping in mind that He was still her baby. This cute little child whom she bore was also God in the flesh. And yet, she cuddled and kissed Him, just as all mothers do with their babies. This thought propelled me right into this painting which I wanted to be a very human representation of divinity. My prayer is that the viewer will be struck, as I am, with the amazing way that God chose to send His Son into this world — in pure humility.”

“This painting was inspired by the phrase ‘kissing the face of God,’ which I heard in a song many years ago,” said the artist. “I immediately thought of a composition with Mary and baby Jesus and how Mary had the privilege to hold God in the flesh in her arms. She cuddled and kissed him just as all mothers do with their babies. God chose to send his Son into this world in this amazing way—in pure humility.”

“I have been fascinated with stories about the Oregon Trail and Santa Fe Trail since I was a child,” says Morgan Weistling. “My grandmother used to tell me how my ancestors had travelled by covered wagon to their new home in the West. She would show me little mementos that had been handed down from that time. When I decided to finally depict a scene from this historic event, I dived into piles of research that are available. Many of the women along the trail kept diaries that give us daily accounts of their journey. I chose to capture what they called ‘The favorite time of the day.’ After walking for eight hours, toiling with oxen and any number of problems, they would set up for the night and rest. A campfire and some music went a long way toward spreading some peace at the end of a very hard day.
“In some ways this painting is a continuation of a theme that I plan to continue. My 2008 painting "Indian Stories" is about a grandfather telling stories about his travels on the Oregon Trail and his meetings with Indians and the trades he had made with them.”

The difference between a magnificent work of art and an illustration lies in the artist’s passion for the subject at hand. Such is the case with the power of Morgan Weistling’s Christian art.
We are excited to offer, along with Kissing the Face of God, three more faith-based paintings by Weistling for the first time as Fine Art Open Edition Canvases. These affordably priced editions can hang separately or together in a series that will provide encouragement, motivation, reflection and faith in any location in your home.
“Colossians 1:15-20 speaks of Christ’s supremacy and of his being the image of the invisible God. Studying this passage brought the scene of Jesus’ baptism to my mind,” says artist Morgan Weistling.
“I chose to depict a quiet moment while Jesus was in the Jordan River to be baptized by John. I wanted to focus on Christ alone, looking to his Father in heaven, as he fulfilled God’s promise to send a Savior. His reflection in the water extends forward, reaching out to us, the viewers, as does Christ himself with his immeasurable gift of salvation. My prayer is that this painting will not only proclaim the deity of Christ but will encourage the viewer to answer the question that Jesus asks all of us: ‘Who do you say I am?’ (Matt. 16:15).”

“This painting of my 4-year-old daughter was inspired by a tea set that her grandmother gave her,” says artist Morgan Weistling. “The imagination of children continues to be a wonder for me to paint because they so easily drift into a make-believe world. She had little conversations with her stuffed friends while serving them and seemed unaware of my studying the whole event. It was a very successful party.”
Morgan’s popularity continues to soar among collectors and the press. In the past 18 months his work has been featured in Art of the West, Western Art Collector, Western Art and Architecture, International Artist Magazine and American Artist. In February 2011, he won the Patron’s Choice Award at the Masters of the American West Fine Art Exhibition and Sale for the fifth time.

"I have loved jam on bread since I was a kid," says artist Morgan Weistling. "I used to watch reruns of "The Little Rascals" and there was a character on the show that was always eating a big, thick piece of bread with loads of jam on it. My model, Emily,is a very quiet and neat little girl. When I first directed her to let some jame drip on her hands and on the table, she could barely got the hang of it. But after a while, she really got the hang of it. Before we were finished, Emily had consumed half the jar."

“The idea for this painting came very naturally. My daughter, Brittany, is following in her parents footsteps and is quite the artist at 14.” (Morgan’s wife, Jo Ann, paints under the name J. Peralta).
“She has posed for me many times, notably in The Dance.  Here, she is a girl set with kitchen tasks but has set them aside to partake in her first love, painting. Although she should be peeling those potatoes, she would rather set up items from her mother's 1890s country kitchen and paint a still life in watercolor.  Behind her on the cabinet, other paintings are pinned.  I tried to portray that intensity of young inspiration to be an artist.  It's an unstoppable force when given the right encouragement.

Artist Morgan Weistling’s penchant for extensive historical research is the collector’s windfall and The Campers provides a fascinating glimpse into how this modern master comes upon inspiration. “Often when I am researching for a big painting I find other ideas emerge,” says Weistling. “While working on my painting Oregon Trail Family, 1848, I was inspired to paint this other idea focusing on the simple tents the frontier settlers often used. Set in the late 1800s , these two little pioneers have made themselves at home in their temporary shelter. As the sun is setting and it gets darker, the candle is lit and the beans are served. Cherished items brought on the adventure lay strewn on the quilt with the carefree abandon of childhood.”

Most of artist Morgan Weistling’s art depicts scenes from the mid-to late-1800s rural American life, a time of the settling and defining values of our country. It’s a not too distant past that is recognizable, but just barely. In 2001, "The Dance" made Weistling the youngest person ever to win the Prix de West Award - he also won the Nona Jean Hulsey Buyers’ Choice Award - from the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma where it is now in the museum’s permanent collection.
Morgan’s daughter, Brittany, posed for this painting when she was five years old. “Looking back on this painting 10 years later, I can still feel the music and remember the inspiration that stirred this idea,” says Morgan. “Brittany and I were visiting a Cowboy Poetry and Music festival and at one point she began to dance to some musicians much like in the painting. I later re-created that scene in my studio. I will always cherish the memories of Brittany and I dancing together as the musicians played for us.”
This darling slip of a girl with a white apron dances on wooden floorboards worn smooth enough to twirl barefoot. We can almost feel the vibration of the music ourselves as the men lean into the rhythm and the expression of the music in her dance step. It’s been a long week of hard labor but tonight that melts away in a spirit of shared music and joy.
Weistling’s star continues to rise. He sold all four entries this year (2011) to the Masters of the American West Exhibition and Sale at the Autry National Center , where he won the Patron’s Choice Award for the third time. That painting sold for nearly 75% over the reserve price.

A superb colorist, artist Morgan Weistling brings this scene to life with spectacular lighting, creating a sense of wonder and engaging the viewer’s imagination and emotion. Like a skilled movie director, he manipulates the focus of interest with suggestions and impressions of forms that are barely realized and allow the viewer’s imagination to fill in the details. The Fishing Hole is a unique, personal homage to brotherly love and childhood magic. “I was originally going to title this painting Brothers,” explains artist Morgan Weistling. “It is as much about the joy of fishing as it is about the bonding experience that fishing allows. I painted it in memory of my older brother, Steve. I have fond memories of him teaching me all of the things he knew about fishing and camping. I painted the older brother with his hand on the younger boy’s shoulder representing that protection that I always felt when I was with Steve. It was pretty handy having a brother that was 6' 4".
“I painted that moment when a fish has just taken its first bite, the line gives that pull and the excitement jumps into your throat. The experienced older brother is a little more collected and amused with his brother’s reaction. When I was this age I remember letting out quite a few whoops of joy while out in our dingy but my big brother was always there to make sure the fish made it into the boat.”

Morgan Weistling’s contemporary impressionism describes the innocence and wonder of a timeless America, as well as the beauty of everyday moments. Weistling is inspired by country life and particularly the lives of children with their irrepressible urge to explore. Morgan says of his model “Her name is Jessica and I discovered her while she attended a Christmas play. As soon as I saw her, painting ideas began to come to me. I imagined her coming in from her grandmother’s garden with her newly picked prizes.”

The difference between a magnificent work of art and an illustration lies in the artist’s passion for the subject at hand. Such is the case with the power of Morgan Weistling’s Christian art.
We are excited to offer, along with Kissing the Face of God, three more faith-based paintings by Weistling for the first time as Fine Art Open Edition Canvases. These affordably priced editions can hang separately or together in a series that will provide encouragement, motivation, reflection and faith in any location in your home.
The disciples Matthew (Chapter 9) and Mark (Chapter 5) both have accounts of Jarius, leader of a synagogue, who pleaded with Jesus to heal his dying daughter. Jesus agreed to see her but before they reached the house, they received word that the girl had died. Jesus told her father not to be afraid, but to believe.
When they reached the house, Jesus asked everyone to leave except His disciples Peter, James and John and the child's parents. Then He took the girl's hand and commanded her to get up. The 12-year-old girl rose and walked around the room. Everyone was astonished, but Jesus told them to give her something to eat and not to tell anyone.
"I chose to depict that moment when the little girl had been given her life back by Jesus,” says the artist. “I imagined the closeness she must have felt for Him. This painting illustrates a real event in time, and it is also symbolic of the life Jesus offers everyone. As a Christian, it is easy to understand the girl’s gratitude because we have all been given life. I am reminded of Jesus' offer to all in John, Chapter 11: 'I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?' ”

The difference between a magnificent work of art and an illustration lies in the artist’s passion for the subject at hand. Such is the case with the power of Morgan Weistling’s Christian art.
We are excited to offer, along with Kissing the Face of God, three more faith-based paintings by Weistling for the first time as Fine Art Open Edition Canvases. These affordably priced editions can hang separately or together in a series that will provide encouragement, motivation, reflection and faith in any location in your home.
“This painting is a portrait of prayer,” says artist Morgan Weistling, “and its title comes from that moment in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matt 26:39), hours before his crucifixion. 
“I was inspired to paint this by the number of times the Bible refers to Christ going off alone to pray to his Father, for example in Luke 5:16: ‘But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.’
“I wanted the viewer to imagine how Jesus would look if you were to come upon him in a private moment of prayer. The painting emphasizes his strong carpenter’s hands, clasped in prayer, representing his communion with the Father. As I painted it I also thought about the importance of praying not only in times of need but often, and thoughtfully, just as Christ did.”

“In my search for interesting people to paint, I came to know this gentleman named Mickey Michele,” says Morgan Weistling. “He is a fifth generation Californian whose great, great grandfather was a vaquero and horse trainer in 1890s Los Angeles. The art of horse training has been passed down from generation to generation and he follows in the footsteps of his grandfather. Mickey trains horses for mounted shooting and is an expert in firearms of the old West. I have painted him with his Trusted Friends that have served him so well, and I purposely used a rough textured painting style to convey his personality.”