Be. Make. Do.

"I think [leadership] is about influence and the moving of people in a direction, and that's exactly what art does." Artist and pastor, Joey Tomassoni of Annapolis, MD joins Lisa in this final conversation in the Wise-Hearted Ones series to talk about artists as leaders in and outside of churches, learning to see and the power of beauty. You can see Joey Tomassoni's artwork here: joeytomassoni.com...

"All the creativity, energy, goodness, and joy is there if we just stop trying so hard to be self-sufficient." -Mandy Smith, Pastor, artist and author of the new book: Confessions of an Amateur Saint. In this episode, Mandy Smith talks with Lisa and Dan about balancing creativity and leadership, the importance of vulnerability and reliance on God, and the need for authenticity and transparency in...

"I feel like Christians should be the most creative and should have the most profound understanding of the complexity of the human condition." The "P" word (prophetic) gets thrown around in this episode of the Be. Make. Do. Podcast.  Mary McCampell, author of Imagining our Neighbors as Ourselves, joins Dan and Lisa for a  conversation on the impact of creative work in shaping our lives a...

Defining success in creative industries can be challenging. Not to mention marketing, sales, and networking. In this episode, Veronica Scarpellino, founder of Goldfinch Leadership talks with Lisa and Dan about how artists can repurpose their creative strengths as tools to take the stress out of doing the business of art. Join the conversation at www.soulmakers.org/bemakedo or on one of our socials...

“I think it's important we be free. Because…when we make our art we are leaving evidence in our time of a living God.” -Karen Swenholt, Sculptor. In this episode, we breakdown not only why it’s essential to be free of condemnation but how! Karen Swenholt joins Lisa and Dan for an illuminating conversation on what it takes to get free and make what you were created to make. In what ways do you need...

In this special episode from the vault, Lisa shares an intimate reflection on George Michael's prophetic song, Praying for Time. Originally recorded 6 years ago (before there even was a Be. Make. Do podcast!), it's shocking to hear how timely and relevant this episode still is. Listen in on the very first time Lisa ever outlined her thoughts on prophetic critics and imaginative visionaries. All in...

For so long art created by Christians has been limited to art for use in church. But have we as believers, especially in the West, undermined God’s true plan and responsibility for artists by keeping the scope of their creativity too narrow? In this final episode of Wise-Hearted Ones series, Lisa dives into what is the “ministry of imagination” and how we as artists can be encouraged that God has...

The construction of golden calf is one of the most commonly known Exodus stories. Though God had delivered them Egypt, hunger, and thirst, the Israelites chose to place their trust in an idol of their own haphazard making. It’s no accident that this story is told between the calling of the Wise-Hearted Ones and the execution of their work. How does art rooted in idolatry differ from God’s design?...

Wise-Hearted Ones: 3 Frameworks to Survive and Thrive As An Artist Creatives talk a lot about artistic craft, but what about soul craft? How is our work connected to the larger rhythms of our spiritual lives? As we see in the Exodus story of the Wise-Hearted Ones, God bestows not only creative knowledge and skill, but frameworks of support to sustain both work and spirit. What are these frameworks...

Wise-Hearted Ones: Shedding the False Dichotomy with Marlita Hill As Christian artists, it’s easy to see our artistic practices as separate from our personal faith. How can we begin to integrate our mediums with our ministry? Are these parts of ourselves so separate after all? Joining Lisa this week is Marlita Hill , a choreographer, multi-published author, and 20+ year educator who serves an inte...

An Artist Ordained with Lisa Smith What if HOW we create is just as important as WHAT we create due to this divine call? Artists selected by God have a high calling — one that requires everything be surrendered to the Maker. Continuing the Wise-Hearted Ones series, Lisa Smith dives into the artistic giftings God gave to master artisans when he ordained them to create the Tabernacle. Take time to c...

Wise-Hearted Ones: Called By Name. Called By Heart. with Lisa Smith What does “wise-hearted” even mean? In this episode, podcast host Lisa Smith unravels a story of divine, artistic collaboration. An unlikely group of craftsmen, wandering the arid desert, are called by name, by God, to build Him a dwelling place called the Tabernacle. The Exodus account details how God specifically calls artists t...

Gathering & Community For Artists with Stephen Roach of Makers & Mystics In a special conversation, host Lisa Smith sits down with Stephen Roach, founder of The Breath and The Clay creative arts organization and host of the Makers & Mystics podcast. As a poet, musician, and self-proclaimed “creative instigator,” Stephen takes Lisa through the concept of what it means for artists to be...

Wise-Hearted Ones: Building a Purposeful World Through Art with Dr. Elise Edwards "The arts are essential; they transform us, allowing access to superpowers we can't reach through linear processes or rational thinking. It's part of God's design for what it means to be human." In this episode, Lisa and her guest, Christian Ethicist and architect, Dr. Elise Edwards , delve into the profound impact a...

Wise-Hearted Ones: Why Your Art Matters with Deborah Sokolove Within the strokes of art, we find whispers of the divine, a symphony of colors echoing the call of the soul. In this episode, Lisa Smith, the creative mind behind Convergence Art Initiative, orchestrates a captivating dialogue with her mentor and artistic luminary, Deborah Sokolove, about why art matters As the conversation weaves thro...

Wise-Hearted Ones: A Story in a Story with Jennifer Allen Craft An often overlooked section of Exodus has more to teach us about God’s design than we may have ever realized . This is the story of the Wise-Hearted ones, the ones who were called by name and by heart to construct the Tabernacle. Author of “Placemaking and the Arts: Cultivating the Christian Life” and Point University Professor Jennif...

Why Does it Matter that You Make Art? Join us for our newest season of Be. Make. Do. as we explore The Wise-Hearted Ones in the book of Exodus. This time, artists are called by name, filled with the spirit, and charged to lead God's people in an art project of magnificent scope. Discover the original call of the artist and reconsider your creative gifting in light of the wise-hearted ones. This is...

How in the world do I find the time and energy to do what I love? Contribute something positive to the world? Make a living AND be fulfilled as a person and an artist?  As creative people, the possibilities really are endless. But if you're smart (and you want to survive), you'll find a method to evaluate your priorities. So you can discern for yourself when to say "yes," and when to say "no....

"The most creative people in the world should be those that are empowered by a Spirit beyond our understanding. And yet, the least creativity, the least “good reframing,” is happening by followers of Jesus." In this episode, Lisa dives deep with Mark Nelson of 100 Movements Publishing, and co- author of the book, Reframation: Seeing God, People, and Mission through Re-enchanted Frames. Mark sounds...

What if being an artist of faith is more about WHO YOU ARE and HOW you create than WHAT you make? Too many Christians in the arts are living in a no-win situation. They’re serious about their work, committed in their faith – but feeling disjointed and disconnected.  In part three of this series, we’ll consider how to integrate the many pieces of you through the three-fold way of calling. And...

"I think that if we are aware. We'll save ourselves and our clients our audience a whole lot of heartache if we just know where our boundaries are."  In this episode, Lisa sits down with photographer and entrepreneur, Shala Graham. They'll talk about vision, branding & how boundaries help you find ( and keep) the audiences you want to serve. https://www.shalaphotography.com/ https://www.c...

Make What You Were Created to Make. What if being an artist of faith is more about WHO YOU ARE and HOW you create than WHAT you make? Too many Christians in the arts are living in a no-win situation. They’re serious about their work, committed in their faith – but feeling disjointed and disconnected. In part two of this series, we’ll consider how to integrate the many pieces of you through the thr...

"It's only recently that I realized the greatest threat to my faith when I was a young adult was the fact that I didn't feel welcome in the church as an artist."  Mandy Smith, artist, pastor and author of the book, Unfettered: Imagining a Childlike Faith beyond the Baggage of Western Culture joins us in this episode. Mandy shares how she's learned to embrace her calling as a contemplative lea...

What if being an artist of faith is more about WHO YOU ARE and HOW you create than WHAT you make? Too many Christians in the arts are living in a no-win situation. They’re serious about their work, committed in their faith – but feeling disjointed and disconnected. In this series, we’ll consider how to integrate the many pieces of you through the three-fold way of calling. And find clarity, confid...

What's worse than making the biggest mistake of your career? Doing nothing. Do you ever feel paralyzed by the fear of getting it wrong? Funny enough, in our art making, we know mistakes are just part of the process. So why can't we trust that when it comes to our sense of call? We want to get it right. We want to discern the signs and hear the voice from Heaven that says, "Yes, that's the path." B...