Marie Chapian | Art as Visual Language

I’m a visual artist and author. I’ve written and published over 40 books on the overcoming life in Christ including writing and illustrating four children’s books. Though my childhood and early twenties were centered in the theatre performing in musicals, I always wrote and made visual art. I began selling cartoons and drawings to Théâtre magazines and showing paintings in NYC gallery group shows.

After a ten-year marriage and subsequent divorce I completed university degrees earning a PhD and became a marriage and family therapist. I earned an MFA from Vermont College in poetry and became an adjunct professor of creative writing at Miera Costa College in Oceanside, California.

I spent the next three years teaching writing, studying art and art history, earning the equivalent of an AA in art and art history. Today, I continue speaking and teaching the Bible, writing and publishing, but my full-time work is in my art studio making art.  

My art is seen in galleries, private collections, museums and commercial businesses in Minnesota, New York, California, New Mexico and Positano, Italy.

I’ve won several group exhibition awards, the Italian Women’s Achievement Award, an AAUW grant, 10 Most Promising Young Artist of America Award (ages ago) and art residencies in Sanquhar, Scotland and Vermont Studio Center Johnson, VT. I work in acrylic, gouache, inks, oil, encaustic and create in 3-D.

Member since 2025