The Artist
Derek is a classical realist who uses the verdaccio underpainting method. This is the style of Renaissance masters such as Rembrandt, Bouguereau, and DiVinci. Due to this process, a single painting can take as long as a year.

Many of Derek's paintings have been published in religious publications, and on book and music covers. They have won many awards. Derek was the first to win the coveted international L. Ron Hubbard Gold Award Grand Prize, where artists from 45 different countries enter in hopes of winning. His art is known world-wide, and has sold over 300,000 prints.

Derek is married to the former Jolynn Muhlestein. They have five young children.

Read the recent article about Derek in the Summit Magazine.

To my Brothers and Sisters in Christ:
In sharing my testimony, I feel no better peace then when I am bearing witness of Christ through a paintbrush. The ability to speak my feelings is not one of my strong points. But a gracious Heavenly Father has blessed me with the ability to bear a witness of my Savior in a manner that is better than words. In reflecting on my testimony and the effects of the arts in my life, I hope to have shown all brothers and sisters of Christ that I know Jesus is the Christ and that He lives.