ATLANTA, Ga. - When former advertising executive Joe Castillo draws the face of Christ using traditional media or the new medium of sand art, people describe his work as 'inspired,- even 'life-changing.-
Castillo's art has been moving people for decades. Millions of copies of images he has drawn - particularly of the face of Christ - have been sold worldwide.
After a 21-year career in the marketing and advertising arena, Castillo, born in Mexico City, changed his life path. Now a graduate of the Asbury Seminary, he's an artist, pastor, conference speaker and author living with his wife in Tennessee.
Until recently, he served in Kingston, near Knoxville, as executive director of the Christian Hospitality Network at the Whitestone Inn. CHN is an association of more than 1,000 hotels and bed and breakfasts worldwide that offers deep discounts to full-time church employees, and which honors missionaries with free recognition weeks at recreational facilities in foreign lands.
Pastor Castillo will be drawing scenes from the Passion of Christ on a sand table at the new 'Name that Book Show- bargain book and specialty merchandise show scheduled for the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta on Aug. 10-12.
Stories of the lives that have been impacted by his artwork have been compiled in a recent book entitled The Face of Christ, which will be available at the show.
In his sand art presentations, Pastor Castillo draws with his hands in sand on a light table to music from the Mel Gibson 'Passion of the Christ- movie. He draws startlingly emotional illustrations of the Passion that are projected onto a large screen for assembled audiences, which often number in the hundreds for a single presentation. He will make his presentations on the main show floor at 'Name that Book Show.-
'Name that Book Show is a new event being brought to Atlanta by Larry and Val May, who own the Spring Book Show which has been held in Atlanta for a number of years. The new show is the result of the Mays buying the former Onboard Show held traditionally in Nashville, and moving it to Atlanta.