Joe Castillo’s life was filled with art and music. Born in bustling cosmopolitan Mexico City, he was strongly influenced by the international art community. His mother taught painting. His father owned a graphic design and display company. His aunt and uncle owned the largest ballet school in Mexico. His Aunt Carolyn became a well known Key West artist listed with the Smithsonian Registry of Contemporary American Artists.

The die was cast. The art bug bit Joe hard at an early age. By five he was passionately painting and drawing daily. By eight his father was teaching him to hand letter brush script. Then, at fourteen, he attended an artist’s chalk talk at a Christian youth camp in Mexico. He was so moved by the drawing and the powerful message that he accepted Christ that night. For the next forty years his love of art and his passion for God would inspire and guide his life through many interesting twists and turns.

After his father’s death in 1963, the Castillo family moved back to the US. Joe finished high school, studied at the Ringling School of Art in Sarasota and enrolled at Florida Bible College. At FBC he received a Bachelor’s degree in Bible and met his wife Mary.

During their formative “starving artist” years, Joe did anything artistic to make a buck: signs, hand lettering license plates, air-brushing T-shirts, architectural renderings…. Before long his efforts burgeoned into a successful Knoxville Tennessee advertising agency with thirteen employees and millions in annual billing. Meanwhile Mary finished medical school, residency and went into private practice.

By most people’s standards this is enough personal success to last a lifetime, but God had different plans for Joe Castillo. After twenty-one years in the advertising business and the loss of his beloved wife of 26 years to breast cancer, he sold his ad agency and enrolled in Asbury Seminary. His profound love of teaching the scriptures inspired him to illustrate what he was learning in a new way. These illustrations are attempts to present the Bible in an intricate story-form that grows out of the Biblical passages.

Joe has teamed up with his new wife and capable partner Cindy to help people in a rapidly changing and impersonal world. Using his unique artwork they are helping many to “Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually.”

For a number of years I have been doing Illustrated Messages. These Art Sermons involve doing a four foot by eight foot mural of my artwork while teaching. They originate from a passage of scripture which I draw while I give a 35-40 minute message. The combination of using the eyes as well as the ears creates a double impact and more involvement with the audience. They have turned out to be a very effective vehicle for communicating truths from God’s Word. I pray that you can grow in your understanding of the scriptures from my artwork.

My latest adventure in creative expression is something I call SAND ART. Drawing in sand on a light table, I am able to create powerful, fluid illustrations for large audiences with an overhead video camera projected on a large screen. Make sure you watch the short video clip entitled, “The Passion of Christ.”

See a short demo.

Rejoicing in His Grace,
          

To see Joe Castillo’s live art presentations for yourself...click below to see the drawing sermon of “The Greatest Gift” or Joe’s Easter sand drawing come to life. If you need a multimedia player, scroll down to the links at the bottom of this page.

Download a video clip of Joe doing his spectacular sand drawing. WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER  1.55mg QUICKTIME  3.32mg REAL PLAYER  1.30mg

Download a video clip of Joe doing one of his many drawing sermons. WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER 1.05mg QUICKTIME 3.11mg REAL PLAYER 1.04mg   If you need a multimedia player: