WAYNESBORO – Marjorie Tressler has captured the spirit of “All God’s children come unto me” as cited in Matthew in a painting that will be donated to her church, Evangelical Lutheran in Waynesboro.
Tressler of Waynesboro, a retired professional portrait artist, will name the 6- by 8-foot oil painting prior to its dedication in October. “We are deeply grateful for this contribution … a powerful reminder that we are all God’s children, loved and cherished by Christ,” said the Rev. Drahus Oslik, associate pastor.
Tressler was commissioned by a nursing home to paint the work in 1989. “It hung in its chapel for 20 years, and when the space was turned into offices, the painting came home,” Tressler said. “It was in our dining room for eight years so Christ was always at the head of the table.”
The painting was moved to the Mansion House Art Center in Hagerstown and then to the Evangelical Lutheran Church after the church accepted the donation.
“I’ve been refining it since May,” Tressler said. “All the figures have been completely repainted and changed … Christ is brand new. The expressions on the two boys’ faces are changed. It’s the same composition … the background looks similar, but it’s been completely redone. This is more like the way I paint now. I’m a different artist than I was 35 years ago.”
A classically trained artist, Tressler attended the Schuler School of Fine Arts in Baltimore. She also has studied with nationally known artists and attended numerous workshops. After she started painting in 1978, Tressler studied art for more than 20 years before becoming a professional artist.
“I have done several religious pieces that hang in churches in Hagerstown as well as St. Andrew School in Waynesboro,” she noted.
In 1993, Tressler had a solo showing of her portraits at Washington County Museum of Fine Arts in Hagerstown, which accepted into its permanent collection a double portrait of children painted in oil on canvas. She also taught portrait and floral still life painting at the museum.
Tressler’s work has been featured at invitational shows in the area, is in a number of private collections and may be seen at the Washington County Arts Council and Mansion House, both in Hagerstown.
