The Thriving Christian Artist

Send us Fan Mail Jesus said that it rains on the just and unjust alike, and our ability to walk through the seasons of life - with grace, with faith, and with a “yes” in our hearts - really defines how we experience life and how we're able to walk in the goodness of God. One of the people who I've had the great privilege of the last 4+ years to watch do this very thing is Jan Thoreen Lew...

Send us Fan Mail We typically think of tension as a negative thing, right?  Tension is where our fears are magnified, where our past mistakes replay in our mind, where the imposter syndrome kicks in.  We’re usually trying to release tension in our lives, not create more of it! But tension can also create beautiful things.  Think about the violin and other stringed instruments.  The reason that sou...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever stood in the middle of a suspension bridge when the wind kicked up?  Talk about a bumpy ride!  And even though you know logically that you’re safe, it doesn’t necessarily feel that way!  Sometimes our journey to what God has called us to do can feel like that suspension bridge. Even when we trust in His plan, it can still make our knees a little weak! I’m excited to...

Send us Fan Mail We artists talk a lot about the vision we have for our art.  But what does it actually look like when God releases His vision into our lives?  Is it a lightning bolt from the sky? Does He appear in a dream?  I think it’s less about the vehicle and much more about us.  I believe the Lord releases His vision to us in two ways - and I’m sharing more about those two ways on today’s ep...

Send us Fan Mail Even if you don’t know Don Potter by name, you have definitely heard his music.  For decades, he was a very successful musician and music producer in Nashville, contributing to over 100 best-selling albums of country music stars who are now household names, such as the Judds, Kenny Chesney, Reba McEntire, Hank Williams Jr., Trisha Yearwood, and Willie Nelson. But it wasn’t until t...

Send us Fan Mail As we close out this month-long celebration of the 10th anniversary edition of my first book, “Unlocking the Heart of the Artist,” I want to end with the beginning - or, more specifically, the forward of the book, which was written by my good friend, mentor, and spiritual father, Ray Hughes.  Ray captures so perfectly the spirit of this book and how we, as artists, are not just bl...

Send us Fan Mail Marian Wright Edelman said, “You can’t be what you can’t see,” and in my experience, that statement is true on so many levels.  I’ve mentored thousands of Christian artists over the years, and I’ve noticed that many of them didn’t have a clear picture in their heads of what it actually looks like to be a Thriving Christian Artist - so they struggled to achieve that goal.  That’s a...

Send us Fan Mail Take a look around you.  How strong is your community?  I don’t mean just people who live in your town - I mean a caring community that supports, encourages, and takes care of each other in good times and bad.  Maybe it’s your church, your Sunday school class, your book club, or your core group of high school friends.  Maybe it’s an online community of people you’ve never met in p...

Send us Fan Mail I’ve heard it said that it’s one thing to be a tourist - but it’s another to be a traveler. A few years ago, I had the chance to spend a month “Down Under” in the beautiful country of Australia, meeting incredible artists, teaching workshops, and speaking and sharing about prophetic art with the amazing people I met there. During the week in which I was teaching a basketry class,...

Send us Fan Mail When you were a kid, did adults tell you to “stop dreaming and get your head out of the clouds?”  What those adults didn’t understand is that dreaming is essential for creating art - and even more so for creating prophetic art. God releases the dreamer inside all of us, opening our eyes to possibilities that we’d never dare to imagine without him.  As Christian artists, dreaming i...

Send us Fan Mail I’ve been involved in music my whole life. My mother was a music and choral teacher, and she had me singing in church and community groups as soon as they had a robe that would fit me. And I’ve always been grateful for that foundation in music because it’s also been such a big part of my relationship with the Lord.  Nothing allows me to get into God’s presence and feel His pleasur...

Send us Fan Mail Exciting announcement time, Thriving Christian Artists! I’m thrilled to announce that we’ve just released a 10th anniversary edition of my first book, “Unlocking the Heart of the Artist!”   I have so enjoyed revisiting the book and revising the book with new stories, new revelations, and new updates from the last ten years of stepping into my own calling from the Lord and raising...

Send us Fan Mail Artists have been using the power of art to bring people together, to express complicated emotions, and to communicate across languages and cultures for millennia.  As Thriving Christian Artists, we seek to release God’s transforming power through our own art in many different media. That’s why I am so excited about to introduce you to Jason Leith, Arts Director and Pastor at Sadd...

Send us Fan Mail “Your prices are too low!”  they say.  “You need to raise them!”  But that’s easier said than done!  In today’s episode of 5-Minute Mentoring, I’m sharing some clues you can look for to know when - and how - to raise your prices to ensure that you’re building in profit so you can sustain and grow your art business. Are you an artist struggling to price your art in a way that feels...

Send us Fan Mail As we’ve talked about in the last few episodes of the podcast, pricing your artwork can be a real pain in the derriere.   It’s a common frustration I hear from followers and students alike, and one I experienced as I developed my art business, too… ...until I finally discovered the formula and strategy that allowed me to price my work easily and competently with profit in mind. 🙌...

Send us Fan Mail Selling your art on commission, consignment, or wholesale can be a great way to expose new potential customers to your art and grow your client base and revenue. However, when you first start selling your art, all the terminology can be overwhelming.  Never fear!  In this episode of the Thriving Christian Artist podcast, I’m breaking down exactly what it means to create and sell a...

Send us Fan Mail One of the things that’s closest to the Lord’s heart is generational impact, that the work of our hearts and hands doesn't end with us - that it will continue to the next generation.   That’s why I’m so excited to introduce you to Mary, Christine, and Caitlin, three talented artists who have created a multigenerational art business that has blessed customers, clients, and oth...

Send us Fan Mail Some people just love to haggle.  They enjoy the thrill of the hunt for a great deal.  They LOVE getting a discount.  They’ll ask for discounts on everything - just in case the answer is yes! A lot of artists think that they have to offer a discount to get someone to buy their art - but it’s not true, and it’s not good for your business!  Remember, a discount takes money right out...

Send us Fan Mail When I received my commission from the Lord back in 2009 to raise up an army of artists all over the world, one of the things that He told me I would be doing was bringing the master artists and emerging artists together to learn from and walk with each other.   That’s why I’m delighted to introduce you to my friend Scott Stearman, a master sculptor, consummate encourager, and pas...

Send us Fan Mail When I first started my art business, I was in “hustle mode.”  I was working 6-7 days a week, burning the midnight oil, and creating art that was selling - but that wasn’t bringing me any joy.   It wasn’t until I realized that I needed to make my business work for me - and not the other way around - that I finally discovered the life God meant for me to live. On this episode of 5-...

Send us Fan Mail Ever heard that saying, “It is what it is?”  It’s often said in the context of something that we can’t change, something that feels too big for us to tackle.  My guest this week, Justin McRoberts, is determined to change this sentiment from “It is what it is” to “It is what you make of it.”  In this episode of The Thriving Christian Artist podcast, Justin and I talk about how when...

Send us Fan Mail Do you grapple with the tension of being creatively authentic and actually making a living from your art?  Can creative authenticity and profit actually live together in harmony?  They absolutely can - and they should!  Profit is one of the most powerful things you can build and grow in your art business today. That’s why on today’s episode of 5-Minute Mentoring, we’re talking abo...

Send us Fan Mail One of the biggest misconceptions that a lot of artists carry is the idea that creativity is outside the realm of God’s Kingdom, that it’s “extra” or ancillary.  But here’s the thing:  creativity is what manifests God’s Kingdom - not the other way around.  It’s how we connect with the abundant life that Jesus designed for us, and it’s how we see the transformative power of God beg...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever wondered what it means to prophesy with your art, to create with the Holy Spirit, and to see God use your art in powerful ways to touch others? We’re going to explore this and give you some answers on how you can begin to see transformation, healing, and peace released to others through your talents here in this episode of 5-Minute Mentoring. Want to learn more? Chec...

Send us Fan Mail Ever thought about writing a book?  Today on the podcast, I’m talking with my friend Michelle Kulp, a paralegal-turned-bestselling author who helps people tap into and write their story and share it with the world. Even if you think “But Matt, I’m an artist, not a writer!  I couldn’t write a book!,” take a listen to my conversation with Michelle.  Michelle and I share our tips, ou...