"My model,
Emily, is a very quiet and neat little girl," says artist Morgan
Weistling. "When I first directed her to let some jam drip on her
hands and on the table she could barely make herself do it. But
after a while, she really got the hang of it. Before we were done,
Emily had consumed half the jar."
“Growing up on the farm, I
always loved to feed the animals. This painting brings back
childhood memories of my two sisters and I.
“I love to paint geese because their
natural design is so decorative. I named each goose as I painted
it—I had Daisy, Lobelia, Bungo, Pippin, Eleanor and Hamfast—and had
some fun painting Bingo, the lone duck, peering out at the viewer.”
- Morgan Weistling
Fine art Masterwork
giclee canvas
hand signed by the artist
Sisters is a warm portrait of the beauty of the
sibling relationship, a relationship that will only grow stronger in the
face of adversity and with the passage of time.
“The love between these sisters, who are very close in real life, is
testimony to the love and caring possible in our families. Many people are
fortunate to have their siblings as their best friends.”
"I never cease to be inspired by the wonder and
curiosity of children,” says Weistling. “ This little farm girl loves to
spend time with her chickens and found her way into the coop one day. This
serene moment I painted changed rapidly after she decided to stick her
thumbs into the eggs to see what would happen. It got pretty messy."
Morgan Weistling’s contemporary impressionism
celebrates the wonder of a timeless America, as well as the beauty of
everyday moments. His painting, Quilting Bee, 19th Century Americana, was
the winner of several awards at the most recent Masters of the American West
Art Show and Sale, where it sold for over $160,000.
"I’ve thought about this painting for at
least 15 years. It all began when my mother showed me a quilt her grandmother had made as a little girl in
the late 1800s. I was amazed by its detail and beauty. I began to research
quilt-making and discovered the wonderful American tradition of quilting
bees, and I knew I had my painting. "
"At a quilting bee, women would have family
and neighbors gather to finish
a quilt. It was a real community event. Often a quilt was made to mark a
special occasion, such as a wedding or an upcoming journey. The older, more
experienced women
would do most of the quilt work, but as in my painting, the less experienced
would learn the craft alongside the veterans. The quilt in this painting is
the actual quilt my great-grandmother made as a little girl, which made the
creative process all the more personal for me.”
~Morgan Weistling
'' In the quiet light of morning, a
round-cheeked toddler stands in her own little corner, out of the way of
busy adults. She tilts a pitcher of milk carefully, watching closely as
every drop splashes onto the floor of the kitchen. The little milkmaid in
the cranberry colored dress has no motivation but curiosity and her actions
stir within all of us a remembrance of our own innocence.''
Artist Morgan Weistling’s portraits of
young children are among his most popular paintings with collectors. This
delicate image of a girl amid a bounty of fall apples, laced with ruby, gold
and grey tones, speaks volumes on the inner life of children. The darling
kitchen helper, in her bonnet and smock, exudes the wonder of childhood
innocence and grace. Just as we all recognize youth’s fleeting nature, all
the more fleeting are the moments such as this.
'' Creating a dreamlike narrative inspired
by scenes from daily life with an essence of the Old West, Weistling’s
Reflections has a sense of wonder and emotion''
.“This
painting was originally going to be titled Tea for Grandpa and my daughter
Brittany was suppose to be handing her Grandpa a cup of tea. Well, Grandpa
had a shiny pocket watch Brittany had never seen one before. During a break
in the studio, this scene took place and it rang with the sweet innocence of
a curious child. I like to strive for truthfulness such as this in my
paintings. That's when I connect to the painting and my hope is that it will
reach the viewer, too.”
~Morgan Weistling
“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.”
