Rip Kastaris gained international recognition by creating artwork that combines historical tradition with a contemporary vision. From "Kyklos, Circle of Glory," his epic mural on permanent display inside the Athens Olympic Stadium, to images featured on an interactive DVD for the rock star Sting, Rip Kastaris expresses his timeless vision utilizing a wide variety of media. Along with being a four-time olympic artist, Kastaris is the producer of huge outdoor public murals like the Alton Steamboat Mural on the Mississipi River Road and "Confluence," a two story mural celebrating the oudoor bike and jogging trails that wrap in and around the St. Louis area. Rip received the Artist of the Year award from the Elios Society in San Francisco along side of Hollywood actors, Nia Vardolis and John Aniston in 2003. He won the 2007 National Award of Excellence from the Associated Church Press for illustrations published in "Lutheran Witness" a national magazine.