The Thriving Christian Artist

Have you ever felt like you were doing all the right things and were still not experiencing fulfillment?  Like you are still struggling in everything?  Kathy Roling, my guest on this episode of the Thriving Christian Artist podcast, had felt that struggle for a long time.  She is a polymath, which means she loves to do a lot of different things, and she does them well.  But the time came in her life where no matter what she would do, even if she felt like it was what the Lord wanted her to do, it wasn’t translating into success.  She wound up living in poverty, praying for a way to turn things around.  As it happened, she heard me teach at a recent masterclass, and the lightbulb switched on for her.  She began to realize that God was calling her to be an artist, and it was okay to claim that for herself as her divine purpose.  As she went through our artist mentoring program, Created to Thrive and learned how to thrive as a Christian artist, she learned how to change her mindset, create good habits, and do th

Do you live in a big city with a thriving art scene?  Are there high-quality galleries on every street corner and throngs of enthusiasts lining up for every art show?  Believe it or not, not everybody has easy access to what you would call a “good” art scene.  Artists in smaller towns, rural locations, that sort of thing, may have a hard time getting their art noticed.  The best they can do in their local area may be to showcase their art at a local art fair or streetside art walk, and chances are they'll be positioned right next to other art that is... not so great.    And you know how that one house on the street with the overgrown weeds, peeling paint, and broken windows makes the whole street look bad no matter how nice the other houses are?  The same perception happens with art, too. That's what this episode of 5-Minute Mentoring is all about - the power of perception.  Take a listen to this episode and find out how you may be able to overcome (or avoid) the negative perceptions that can detrac

When God inspires you to do something, do you do it no matter what?  My guest on this episode of the Thriving Christian Artist podcast, Jessa Brantley, is a perfect example of what can happen when you go all in on following God’s inspiration for your life.  Jessa was working as an accountant (“the least creative job a person can have,” she says) who dabbled in making wooden signs as an artistic outlet.  But when she stumbled on wood-turning videos online, she was “mesmerized” by them, and knew that she had to give it a go herself.  Overcoming the nervousness of trying a new thing, especially a thing that was in a field dominated by men, she took the lathe her husband got her for Christmas and taught herself how to turn wood into beautiful bowls.  From there she took step after step on the path God showed her, including taking my masterclass.  Next thing you know, she had taken her art and made it into a successful, thriving business!    If you feel the Lord calling you to make more out of your artistic expres

You’re a hard worker.  You’re persistent.  You’re determined.  You’re going to make your art business as successful as it can possibly be and live the abundant life as an artist that you’ve been dreaming of.  Nothing can stop you as long as you never stop! 

Sometimes no matter what you do, you just can’t seem to get ahead.  My friend Maria Morris has had to fight through this for quite a long time.  She has followed God’s call to be an artist and a teacher, but she could never seem to break through on the financial side of things.  Selling her art and classes on her own website and trying her luck on Skillshare and Etsy only led to inconsistent income and uncertainty.  Money would come and money would go, and all Maria could do was try to react.  And what’s worse, she began to feel the burden of fear and self-sabotage weighing her down, threatening to break her spirit.  Fortunately, her faith kept her strong, she overcame these challenges, and she found her way into our mentorship program.  And in this episode of the Thriving Christian Artist podcast, she’s going to tell you how all this helped her to develop the consistent, regulated cashflow she needed to create the life she’s always wanted as an artist. Take a listen to this episode, and check out Maria’s art

Do you feel like you've really mastered your chosen art medium?  Have you sunk time, money, and effort into your goal to be the best artist you can be?  Does it frustrate you that somehow your mastery of your craft hasn't translated into increased sales?  There's more to thriving in the art business than being a great artist.  The hard truth is that the artists who are really succeeding aren't necessarily the ones who have taken all the classes, honed their techniques, and trained to be the best around.  The really successful artists are the ones who have developed a uniqueness in their work and have mastered marketing, promotion, networking, and all of the aspects of the business that connect them to their audiences.  Is that something you can do?  Of course it is!  In this episode of 5-Minute Mentoring, I'll get you up to speed on the skills that pay the bills in the art biz.  Ready to build a business that helps you thrive spiritually, artistically, and financially?  Here are 4 way

We all feel heavy burdens in our lives from time to time.  It can come in many forms, and from many places.  It can be disruptive to your life and your pursuit of happiness.  In these times, we all feel a need for healing that’s hard to come by.  Lynnette Horn, my guest on this episode of the Thriving Christian Artist podcast, has felt that burden weighing her down in a really disruptive way.  After a tornado destroyed her home - but miraculously not Lynnette - she found her normal, creative life torn to pieces, just like her house.  Lynnette went from painting daily and enjoying her creativity to being unable to pick up a brush.  She suffered through four years of being emotionally disconnected from everything that she formerly thrived on, including her art.  But God had more in store for her.I encourage you to listen to Lynnette tell her heartbreaking and uplifting story.  If you are going through something like Lynnette was, her story may be just the encouragement you need to get through it.  To see how Go

Painting with acrylics…wood-carving…clay sculptures…oil painting…making baskets…cake decorating.  There are so many awesome art media that it can be hard to just pick one!We have so many ways to express ourselves creatively that it can be hard to "settle" for one creative outlet when you are excited about so many others.  And that's great when you're just kinda "doing your thing" as an artist.  But it may not be so great if you're trying to be a professional artist with a steady stream of income that comes from your art.  But as the old saying goes, “Jack of all trades, master of none.”In this episode of 5-Minute Mentoring, I'll tell you how to know if you're doing too much dabbling, and how you can make a conscious move towards being a decisive artist.  Check it out!  Ready to build a business that helps you thrive spiritually, artistically, and financially?  Here are 4 ways I can help: 1️⃣ Join Us in November - Every artist was created by God to create with Him t

New trends, techniques, and technology have always had an effect on how art is created.  We’ve gone from painting on the walls of caves to painting the ceilings of cathedrals.  From canvas and oils to all-digital masterpieces.  Progress marches on, and art marches right along with it.  On this episode of the Thriving Christian Artist podcast, my guest, Bonnie Brooks, going to tell us all about a new avenue for creating and selling art we have available to us here and now - NFTs.  You’ve probably heard of NFTs (we did another podcast on NFTs earlier this year - check it out!).  You may have a vague notion of them being related to cryptocurrency.  You may have heard the term “blockchain.”  You may have seen a bunch of weird cartoon monkeys that people claim are worth millions.  If it all seems too “out there” for you, or seems like something that’s just for people who are younger or more tech-savvy than you, don’t worry.  Just listen to my conversation with Bonnie, and you’ll have a much better understanding of

“Making it” in the art business isn’t easy.  Every day, somebody decides that they’re going to make a go of living off of their art, and every day somebody else gives up on their dream.  For every artist who “makes it,” there are probably ten more who don’t.  I don’t say that to discourage you - because it doesn’t have to be that way!So what’s the difference between those who succeed and those who fail?  There could be a bunch of factors for why some artists fail while others succeed, but I’ve identified seven reasons why artists fail, and that’s what we’re talking about on this episode of 5-Minute Mentoring.  Listen in as I break these reasons down for you so you can make sure to avoid these stumbling blocks in your own art business.  If you can avoid them, you’re sure to become the thriving artist God’s calling you to be.  Ready to build a business that helps you thrive spiritually, artistically, and financially?  Here are 4 ways I can help: 1️⃣ Join Us in November - Every artist was created by God to creat

What would you do if the Lord told you to get up in the middle of the night and paint the Holy Spirit?No pressure, right?

Change is never easy.  And the bigger the change, the tougher it can be. 

One of the biggest challenges any artist faces is getting their art out in front of the people so they can get paid for their work.  Galleries and exhibitions are hard to come by, especially for artists who may live outside of the big cities.  Promoting your work on your own website or Instagram can lead to sales, but you have to put in a lot of work to get noticed.  A lot of artists take commissions as a large source of their income, but even at that, your customers have to be able to find you to commission you for work.  Rei Llazani, my guest on this episode of The Thriving Christian Artist podcast, has come up with a very clever solution to match artists with customers looking to commission high-quality art.  Rei has created MadeMay.com, a freelance platform that enables expert artists, artisans, and creatives to connect with clients looking for custom, made-to-order masterpieces.  If you’re a painter, sculptor, designer, voiceover artist, or any other type of creative who is exploring the possibilities of

When we were expecting our son, Cameron, we went through every baby name book out there, trying to figure out the perfect name for our little bundle of joy.  It felt like such a HUGE decision, and we didn’t want to mess it up!Naming your business feels kind of like that.  It’s not just a name - it’s a brand, a representation of what you and your art bring to the world.      The name of your art business needs to be memorable, unique, and authentic to you and your art.  It needs to be searchable, easy to spell, and allow you to be consistent across social media.  Oh, and being catchy and clever wouldn’t hurt.  So if you’re trying to figure out what to name your art business, check out this episode of 5-Minute Mentoring, where I’ll share exactly how to figure out the perfect name for your art business!  Don’t miss it!  Ready to build a business that helps you thrive spiritually, artistically, and financially?  Here are 4 ways I can help: 1️⃣ Join Us in November - Every artist was created by God to create with H

On my first trip to Africa 20+ years ago, one of the things I looked forward to most was entering into the sounds of the real Africa - to learn from them, to feel the culture and rhythms of an ancient people.Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.

Sharing your creative work can be a very daunting task.  What people are going to say?  Will they like it?  Is your art “good enough?”  If they don’t like it, does that mean you’re not a "real artist?"  If this sounds familiar, you’re in good company.  Everybody feels some trepidation about sharing their work from time to time.  It's a normal reaction to putting yourself in a vulnerable position.  It would be easy to shut our art away in a closet or in our studio, protected from criticism and other people’s opinions.But art is meant to be shared!  Don’t hide it under a bushel - let it shine! ⭐So what can you do to conquer this fear and put your art out there?  In this episode of 5-Minute Mentoring, I share some advice that will help you push through whatever fears are holding you back and share your gifts with the world.  I call it the Five Rs - Recognize, Repent, Replace, Reinforce, Rejoice.  Check it out!  Struggling with fear of rejection?  Here are a couple of books for further reading:“Unl

In the entertainment world, someone who can sing, dance, and act is referred to as a “triple threat.”  Scribes were the triple threats of Bible times.  They were artists, writers, historians, and archivists.  They were a bit of everything under the sun - polymaths in the truest sense of the word.That’s why I love that my guest on the Thriving Christian Artist podcast, Theresa Harvard Johnson, is a triple threat for sure!Theresa doesn’t fit neatly into one box or label - she’s not a writer OR an artist OR a historian.  She’s all of the above!  All of the roles of a traditional scribe are within Theresa, and they are all a part of her life every day.  In this episode of the Thriving Christian Artist, you’re going to hear about all the ways Theresa is sharing her scribal gifts with the world - teaching, mentoring, illustrating, writing and performing poetry, spoken word pieces, and more.  She just loves using her creativity, being around other creatives, and bringing her guidance to the creative community. If yo

There are people out there, especially on the internet, who will tell you that they can show you how to quadruple your art sales and make millions of dollars from selling your art...if you will just follow their super-special marketing techniques.  But here's the truth:  I don’t care how great of a marketer you are.  If your art isn’t up to snuff, it ain’t gonna sell.   Marketing isn’t the secret foolproof key to unlocking success in the art world.  There are three aspects of your life that have to be in alignment in order to thrive as an artist:  your faith, your art, and your business.  These three work together to get the results that you want to get.  If any of these are out of tune, you are bound to hit roadblocks and experience a lot of frustration.  I call it The Trinity Effect, and I am going to tell you all about it on this episode of Five-Minute Mentoring.  Check it out!  Ready to build a business that helps you thrive spiritually, artistically, and financially?  Here are 4 ways I can help: 1️⃣

I don’t believe that the Lord wants us to live lives of misery, scraping by and struggling.  Instead, He wants us to live abundantly and beautifully in this world He has created for us. That’s why it’s great to see a couple like Jonathan and Sarah Howe, living that life together as a prime example of God’s kingdom here on Earth.  Jonathan and Sarah have been full-time artists since they got married over a decade ago, making their living and thriving on their art - even with the ups and downs of the world around them.   They homeschool their two daughters, so every day their house is filled with family, art, creativity, love, and God’s presence in abundance.  If you aren’t sure that your art can support your family, or you’re afraid of stepping out as an entrepreneur, or you feel like you don’t know how to adjust your business to get through the turmoil the world can throw at you, listen to Jonathan and Sarah in this episode of the Thriving Christian Artist podcast.  Let their example of living beautifully put

Quick question - what’s your number?No, I don’t mean your phone number. ☎️I mean that specific dollar amount it would take for you to achieve your goals as an artist who’s selling your work in the marketplace.  Unfortunately, there’s not a magic number that I can share that applies to everyone.Everybody has different goals, and everybody has different situations, so everybody has different numbers.  But it’s imperative that you determine your number for yourself so you can set measurable, achievable goals for your art business.  But how do you do this?  And how do you translate it into goal-setting?  I’ll tell you all about the hows and whys of determining your number in this episode of 5-Minute Mentoring.  Let’s go!Ready to build a business that helps you thrive spiritually, artistically, and financially?  Here are 4 ways I can help: 1️⃣ Join Us in November - Every artist was created by God to create with Him to both experience and release His Light and Life through their creative expression. Join us for a p