The Thriving Christian Artist

Send us Fan Mail I’m not exactly sure how, but my guest on this episode of the Thriving Christian Artist podcast, Rachel G. Scott, must have 30 hours in each of her days.  It's the only logical explanation for how many creative areas she excels in.   Rachel’s love of creativity was established at a very young age and grew with every new creative outlet she tried.  Learning the flute, teaching...

Send us Fan Mail I believe there’s a key way to discern the truth of what you’re hearing, and it involves the tone and tenor of the message you’re receiving.  The character of God is to give invitations, not accusations.   If the voice you’re hearing is accusing you of not being good enough, or of not being deserving of success, or words like that, you know that’s not the Lord.  It’s time to tune...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever met a kindred soul, someone who just gets you?  That’s how I felt when I met my guest on the Thriving Christian Artist podcast, Chris Lumry.  Chris and I share a love for Jesus, a love for creativity, and a passion for seeing people’s hearts unlocked.    Chris grew up very achievement-oriented, and without much of a feeling of being a creative person.  He was educate...

Send us Fan Mail If you're just starting out with your art business, or if you've been in business awhile and are experiencing a bit of a slow period, you're probably looking for a way to get some cashflow in a hurry.  But what can you do?   Luckily, as artists, we have a LOT that we can teach others! In this episode of 5-Minute Mentoring, I'm going to tell you how you can inco...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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 sign...

Send us Fan Mail 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!  💪🏻 Burn that midnight oil!  Toil relentlessly for your art!  No rest for the weary, right? Actually, the opposite is true...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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 w...

Send us Fan Mail 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 di...

Send us Fan Mail 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 kin...

Send us Fan Mail 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 te...

Send us Fan Mail “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 su...

Send us Fan Mail 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? 😬 In 2004, Amy Rylander, my guest on this episode of the Thriving Christian Artist, decided to paint just a little something for herself as an outlet and release for her creativity.  She got some paints and canvases for Mother's Day, and she was excited...

Send us Fan Mail Change is never easy.  And the bigger the change, the tougher it can be.  😬 Whether you're moving to a new place, starting a new relationship, or quitting that desk job so you can be a full-time artist, you’re bound to feel uncomfortable with the uncertainty ahead. If you're like me, you're probably asking God to show you the exact right steps to take.  But more of...

Send us Fan Mail 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 art...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail 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. 😕 They had adopted almost exclusively U.S.-based worship music. The sound of their culture in worship was but a memory…overshadowed by wha...

Send us Fan Mail 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 y...

Send us Fan Mail 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 Ha...

Send us Fan Mail 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.    Mar...

Send us Fan Mail 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 si...

Send us Fan Mail 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...

Send us Fan Mail Building up the role of art ministries in the church is a very big task.  In fact, it sure seems like it’s too big for one person to handle.  It’s a good thing that my guests on this episode of the Thriving Christian Artists podcast, Greg and Susan Card, have each other to lean on.   Greg and Susan have been creating art their whole lives.  When they met, they bonded over their lo...