I can remember it like it was yesterday.

I was sitting in a gallery demonstrating my work at an art walk in Waynesville, North Carolina... Just minding my own business, when all of a sudden this guy walks up to one of my pieces and said with a gasp "It's like the hands of God are reaching out to me saying I've got everything under control."

I wondered to myself "What just happened?" and then all of a sudden it hit me.  This guy just had an encounter with the living God through one of my baskets. I thought "Woo hoo, Jesus loves kudzu, too!!" 

Is that even possible? Absolutely! 

When you invite the Holy Spirit into your creative process, He will literally come move through the work of your hands. Your work becomes much more than just the sum of it's parts... it becomes an intersection point where God can show up and release the light and life of His presence!

If you've never experienced this kind of demonstration of God's love through your work, there's no time like the present!  The next time you create, invite the Holy Spirit to be present, in and through your work. Create with all your heart, listen for His voice and then respond.  After you're done, watch what he does with the work of your hands.

When God shows up, things change and He wants to use you to release that transformation.

Has something like this ever happened to you?  Share your story of transformation below and let's encourage one another!

In this video, Matt Tommey shares key insights for artists on how to start overcoming self-sabotage in their life and creative expression.

Since I have the great honor of working with hundreds of Christian artists in my artist mentorship program, I'm always getting questions.  One of the most common questions I get from newbies is "what can I do right now to start thriving?" Here's 12 things you can do right now to start thriving as a Christian artist:

1. Just show up & do the work
There’s just no substitute. It’s been said it takes 10,000 hours to become a master at your chosen artistic medium. So whether you’re a painter or metal artist, potter or basket maker you’re going to need to put in some serious studio time. The beautiful thing about it is that for the artist, the process of being in the studio can be the reward. Yes, we’re all after fantastic art that we can sell and make a living from, but for the artist, the magic of creativity happens long before the sale happens. It happens when we walk in the studio, turn on the music, prepare our materials and just get in the zone.

2. Push through the ugly
Every Christian artist I’ve ever known, including myself goes through periods of creating
crap. Sometimes its for a week, or months or a year or sometimes it’s in every piece. If you stop in the ugly phase, you’ll never get through to the place of creative resolve and resolution. Keep pressing, reworking, walking away and returning until you know that you know it is finished.

3. Encourage yourself and silence your inner critic
The voice of the inner critic will never go away by itself or by wishing it would stop. The voice must be silenced by a greater voice; the darkness pierced by the purity of light. The dominant inner narrative in your soul can be guided, not by your emotions but by your choices. Who are you and what do you want? Practice some creative visualization, create a treasure map, journal your personal and creative affirmations daily and listen as the critic is silenced.

4. Take time to rest and renew
It’s been said that creativity happens best on the edge of order and chaos. That being said, we can’t live 100% of the time in that tension. You need time to reflect, rest and renew your physical body and your inner life so that fresh ideas can clearly come to and through you. This is not a luxury for the artist, it is essential.

5. Fill your creative well
When it’s time to create, we all go inside what I call our creative well to draw upon the inspiration and understanding that lies within. If the well has gone dry, then the work becomes mundane and our experience in creative bored and anxious. What exhilarates your spirit? What makes you stand in awe and wonder? Movies? Music? Sculpture? Great art or theatre? Whatever feeds your inner life should be on your regular menu. "

6. Don’t eat seed
Over the years I’ve found that emerging artists have one main question they are always asking: “How do I make money with my art?” The better question is how can I keep the money I’m making with my art. Becoming a successful Christian artist for most people is able building a bridge to a dream; transitioning from a 9 to 5 job or even beginning to sell your work to the public for the first time. Regardless, all of that takes money. I always encourage artists to take the money that’s coming in initially from selling or teaching and put it away in your business envelope. That way, when a big show, marketing need or other opportunity comes along and you need capital to invest, you have it. Money invested at the right time in your business can be valuable seed to produce the harvest of success you desire.

7. Create what you love
We’ve all done it. You sell a couple of pieces that are similar and you start thinking “If I make 1000 of these, I’d be a gagillionaire... so I better get to work!” Only to find out that at the next show, you only sell a grand total of zero. While we must always keep an eye on what’s selling and what our clients are genuinely responding to at the end of the day, we must make what we love. Otherwise, we become robotic craftsmen just replicating patterns with wrote skill instead of creating out of the place of inspiration and passion. Create what you love and trust the money and opportunities to follow.

Fulfill Your Calling as a Christian Artist!
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MAKE THIS YEAR YOUR BREAKTHROUGH YEAR... Find out how here

8. Reach up and reach back
None of us have gotten where we are in life without those special people providence placed in our life at the right place and time to teach us, lead us, guide us and inspire us to go to the next level. No matter where you are in your creative journey, you can do the same for someone else by reaching out in genuine relationship. In addition, there’s always someone who’s further along than you are in whatever creative endeavor you find yourself. Continue to purposely reach up to them as well and become a river of inspiration; both receiving and giving the abundance that’s flowing through you.

9. Tell your story
Art is not a commodity. No one buys great art or fine craft because it was the cheapest or it was on sale. People buy fine art and fine craft because they desire connection; connection with the maker, the process, the materials and ultimately their own human experience. Your personal creative story is a huge part of that because when people connect to you they connect to your work. It’s no longer just a basket, mug or painting, but rather a reflection of the story of the maker who poured their heart and soul into the piece. Art becomes like ancient cairns, pointing the way and commemorating significance in the journey.

10. Dream Your Dreams
Most Christian artists I’ve met over the years are so completely overwhelmed with where they are right now – creatively, relationally, financially – that they’ve lost their ability to dream and imagine outside of their current life experience. What happened to the kid on the playground who believed he could climb to the top of the highest tree on the mountain? What happened to the little girl who wanted to be a famous fashion designer in New York City? I’ll tell you what happened. Life happened, they got bogged down in the details and lost their dreamer. Without dreaming and imagination, we become robotic manufactures of commodities. With dreams, desire and imagination become artists who allow all of life to converge in the studio where we create beautiful objects that help others to live with wonder.

11. Say No to the Wrong things and Yes to the Right
You’re an artist, yes, but you’re also an entrepreneur, shipping department, marketing department and custodial staff in addition to whatever personal and civic obligations that may find their way into your life. If you say yes to everything, you allow everyone else’s emergencies, priorities and passions take precedence over yours. Design your life. Dream your dreams. Create what you love. Life a beautiful life with beautiful people and allow your priorities to be the measuring stick for everything else you allow into your life. That’s not selfish, it’s healthy.

12. Connect to Your Source
If you’ve been an artist for very long, you realize that your creative gift is not your own or even the result of all your own hard work. Pure and simple it’s a gift from the Creator and we simply have the incredible opportunity to collaborate with that Creators process, inspiration and gifts in order to reflect His beauty. Without that connection we die creatively because we cut off the source of our inspiration. With that connection, we go further than we ever could on our own good ideas and hard work. With that connection, we simply lean into the process of creative collaboration that’s already been designed especially for us. With that connection, we always prosper because that’s the design of the Creator. 

Don't let another year go by without stepping into your creative calling!
This year can be your breakthrough year! Find out how...

As I've reflected on my own journey and the journey's of the literally hundreds of artists who are a part of my Created to Thrive Artist Mentorship program I now understand there are basically stages an artist goes through on their journey of creativity.  Most artists stop somewhere along the way but for those who refuse to give up, they reap the rewards of perseverance.

Hobbyist
All artists start here, creating from a place of passion, connection and expression. The focus for the hobbyists is creating for their own enjoyment. Hobbyists pursue their art at their leisure and don't always have a dedicated space to create. Hobbyists enjoy the freedom of creating when inspiration strikes - once a week, a couple of times a month or even a few times a year – and often continue to create because of the spiritual connection they feel when creating.  Main challenges facing these artists include frustration with lack of skill, perfectionism, dedicating time to create, connecting with other creatives for community and beliefs around their own identity as artists.
 
Emerging Artist
After creating for some time as a hobbyist, these artists begin to develop a passion for more focused pursuit of their art. They are serious about developing more skill, spending more time on their artistic development and are starting to sell their work to others. Emerging artists are beginning to develop the basics of their art business including things like website, printed materials, professional photography, dedicated studio space and applying for shows.  Main challenges facing these artists include renewing their mind to align with God's Word rather than their own experience or beliefs, building healthy relationships with other artists who are on the same journey and balancing time to create with relationships and administrative tasks required to launch an art business (marketing, bookkeeping, communications, social media).

Check out this podcast interview I just completed with my friend and colleague in ministry, Stephen Roach on his podcast "Makers & Mystics".  Just click the image to go directly to the podcast recording.

Let me be honest. As much as I would love every artist to really start thriving in their life, art, finances and spiritual life, that's just not realistic for some... and it hurts me to say because I'm an eternal optimist and believe deeply in the divine calling of artists to do big things! It's not that I don't believe it's possible, I do! I completely, 100% believe breakthrough is possible in the life of every artist but what I know more than possibility is the fact that thriving as an artist and experiencing breakthrough into that life is a choice. A personal choice that can only be made by a the artist.

Sometimes, I wish it wasn't the case but it is.  You either choose to thrive or you choose to live life the way you've lived it and get what you've always gotten. As I think back on tons of emails and conversations with artists, I've heard these three reasons over and over and over from phrased a little differently for each person of course to fit their "unique" situation.  As we say in the country, "You can't put lipstick on a pig".  An excuse is an excuse and these are 3 of the biggest.  Here we go:

• Reason #1: They Let Immediate Pressure Overshadow Longterm Success
  One of the hardest lessons I had to learn in my own journey is the lesson of delayed gratification.  Like a lot of artists, I was used to seeing things my way, getting things my way and choosing immediate payoff instead of learning to delay pleasure for a greater reward later on.
  
  One of the biggest areas this shows up with artists is with money. If you have it, you probably tend to spend it. And when you don't have it, you freak out, get fearful and go into conservation mode thinking that will somehow solve the problem.  The problem is not lack of money, it's a lack of understanding how to get it, steward it and grow it. When fear reigns, nobody wins. The rollercoaster cycle will continue.  
  
  Let me give you a couple of examples: Take the artist who signs up for a conference, class or seminar only to call back a week or a month later freaking out that "they have to have a refund" or "I just can't afford it now because something came up." Do things come up? Sure, but the deeper concern is that you've chosen to put out an immediate fire for immediate payoff rather than realizing how much you could gain in the short and long term by taking advantage of the opportunity you've now just canceled.  It's like when I was in the marketing business years ago. Short-sighted businesses were the first to cancel their marketing campaigns when the economy bobbled where as mature businesses increased marketing during those times because they realized the long-term importance of that investment.
  
  Or take the artist who wants to paint, sculpt, play or weave like the pros but just isn't willing to take classes, learn from others or put in the practice it takes to develop mastery.  We have a saying for that down south...."You can wish in one hand and spit in another and see which one fills up faster."
  
  You can overcome this hurdle by setting clear vision for your life  and making decisions on a daily basis that lead you toward your long-term goals, not just short term gains.
  
  
• Reason #2: They Choose to Let Other Things Steal Their Focus
  Jesus said "In this life, you will have trouble..."  There's always going to be some situation, person or combination of both that will compete for your time, resources and attention. People who thrive in their life learn to prioritize themselves first in balance with their family and work relationships. Otherwise, you end up putting out everyone else's fires, having nothing left for yourself. These are the folks who show up to conferences and webinars and workshops exhausted, confused and longing for God to show up and somehow fix everything so they can experience breakthrough in their life.  Listen, this is not an issue of God not showing up but rather a lack of prioritizing in life which leads to everything being out of balance.
  
  These same folks are some of the first to attach a spiritual reason for their lack of focus because let's face it... it's just easier than taking responsibility.  For many, it's easier to believe that it's just not in God's plan for your life rather than learning how to focus and stay on course regardless of what's happening around you.
  
  Someone wise once said "If everything is a priority, then nothing is a priority." You get to choose and the bottom line is many artists never make that choice. They let everyone else dictate and consequently suffer under the guise of being a caring parent, loyal employee, church servant or attentive friend.​
  
  You can overcome this hurdle in your life by setting clear priorities that align with your unique design and vision as an artist. Make sure everyone in your life knows and respects those priorities as you start shaping the life you were meant to live!
  
  
• Reason #3: They Stop Too Early, Believing This Isn't Really Their Time
  This reason is sort of a combination of the two earlier reasons.  This artist starts down the road with good intentions but doesn't stay on track.  It takes work, yes, but more than that, it takes interaction and community.  It takes relationship to keep each one of us focused, energized and moving in the right direction over the long haul.  
  
  When an artist doesn't stay engaged in the process, the enemy is right there to sow lies like "It's not really your time" or "This is just not the season for you" or maybe "It's not supposed to be this hard". Believing a lie becomes easier than asking for help or pushing through difficulties and boom! Another one bites the dust. Another dream left on the side of the road only to be remembered 2 years later when their heart is awakened to the possibility again and the whole scenario begins again.
  
  You can overcome this hurdle by renewing your mind to the truth of God's Word regarding who you are, what you have, what you can do and the vision for your life.  Once you understand who you are in Christ and your unique design as an artist, you start to realize the Kingdom is available and active to you any time. It's always time to start stepping into your best life in God!

Some of you may be reading this right now saying "Wow Matt, this just got real..." Yes, it did and I love you too much to sugarcoat things. God's invested too much in each one of us to let momentary troubles and pressures take our focus from the goal He's set before us.  

I also know this to be true: people always... ALWAYS do what they want to do. If you want something bad enough, you'll find a way to see it happen. The simple fact is many people like the idea of breakthrough and thriving but aren't willing to lean into the process.  

To those that do lean into the process, who keep going even when things get difficult and who prioritize their life the align with their dreams and design, the sweet feelings of knowing they held on, leaned into God's grace and trusted in the face of fear will usher them into reaping the rewards of the process. To them it will be said "Well done good and faithful servant. You've been faithful over little, not I will make you ruler over much."

One question I get all the time is "Matt, how can I take my artistic calling to the next level and really start thriving?" Yep. Many well-meaning artists have asked this question and most believe that it's a single answer... like there's some shortcut or secret ad you can run to make everyone buy your art and make a million dollars. Spoiler alert.... There's no silver bullet for learning to thrive as an artist. However, after working as a creative now for over 20 years, speaking to thousands and personally mentoring hundreds of artists via my books and online artist mentoring program, I've come to understand some of what it takes to really thrive. I'm going to share some of those with you here.

Since I also believe no one person as the corner on success, I reached out to several of my thriving artists friends who are creating beautiful work and selling the heck out of it all while living an incredible life.  Based on their input and my experience, here's my curated list:

1. Have a Consistent Studio Practice and Treat it Seriously, like "Work"
2. Don't Wait for Inspiration... Start Creating
3. Stay Focused by Minimizing Distractions
4. Understand Why You Create & Stay Connected to that Story
5. Keep Learning & Experimenting, Especially When You're Successful
6. Under Promise and Over Deliver.. in Everything
7. Constantly Improve Your Communication Skills
8. Fill Your Creative Well with Inspiration Outside Your Artistic Medium
9. Cultivate a Positive Mental Attitude toward Your Work
10. Avoid Negative Self-Talk
11. Strive to be Uniquely You and Own It
12. Practice Gratitude
13. Cultivate Relationships with Your Clients 
14. Know Who Purchases Your Work & Why
15. Listen to Your Heart
16. Don't Be Afraid
17. Selectively Choose Your Place in the Market: Don't Get Overexposed
18. Focus Your Creative Expression within a Chosen Medium
19. Practice Mindfulness, Prayer & Listening to the Still Small Voice
20. Keep Pushing the Limits of Your Skills
21. Always Deliver Excellence Quality
22. Create a Business that Fits You
23. Be Around Artists Who are Better Than You
24. Be Open to Feedback & Constructive Criticism
25. Go Deep, Not Wide
26. Create Quiet, Reflective Spaces in Your Life
27. Journal, Sketch & Steward Your Ideas Well
28. Develop Meaningful Relationships with Other Artists
29. Connect with the Creator who Created You to Be Creative

​As you probably know by now, information doesn't create change. Real change only happens when valuable information meets action and interaction; action on your part and interaction with others on your journey and an experienced mentor.  Why, you ask? Most of the time, there are things in your life you just can't see by yourself. For those who are willing, God uses mastermind and mentoring relationships to bring you to the next level of growth.

If you'd like to make this year your breakthrough year and really start thriving as an artist spiritually, artistically and in business, check out my Created to Thrive Artist Mentoring Program and read some of their stories!  Literally hundreds of artists just like you have made the decision to be a part and it's changing lives. 

Thanks again to all my artist friends who contributed to this list. Each one is creating great work, thriving as a professional artist and a joy to call friend! ​

Artists can be some of the biggest procrastinators around.  Believe me, I know! Because of some of our innate perfectionistic tendencies, we love to put things off indefinitely.  We tell ourselves all sorts of things couched in what seems like wisdom when in reality, it's just just plan ole fear; fear of not "doing it right", fear of "not being good enough" even fear of succeeding. In my own life and as I have the great pleasure of mentoring hundreds of artists through my books, conferences and artist mentoring group I've found 3 really common and really paralyzing lies that most artists struggle with, especially as they are getting ready to breakthrough into their next season of growth!  Here they are...

• Big Fat Lie #1: It's Just Not the Right Time
  Artists are visionaries and therefore are really great starters.  We can start just about anything!  We can see the finished product, we know where we're going and know how we want to feel at then end.  The big roadblock that hits many artists however, is pushing through the times of difficulty, doubt and confusion.  During those times, one of the big, paralyzing lies the enemy sows in our life is something like "Well Matt, that vision you had was great, but it's really not the time for that.... just go back to life as usual and wait."  That can even sound really spiritual, too but here's what I've found to be true.  In God, it's always the right time! The Kingdom lives inside of us and is available at all times, 24/7/365 and no matter where you are on the journey, you can always be moving toward your vision.  Just because it might not be the season to see the FULLNESS of your vision manifested DOESN'T mean it's not the season to develop your skills and foundation in preparation for the season of manifestation.  If you don't prepare then when it is the right time, you won't be ready.
  
  
• Big Fat Lie #2: I'm Just Not Ready
  Perfectionism paralyzes.  So many artists struggle with this lie that demands a certain level of expertise, skill or career attainment to start thriving as artists.  The fact is, no matter where you are in your process of creative development, you can give, learn and thrive.  You can give knowledge to those who aren't where you are, you can learn from others who are further along than you and you can thrive where you are.  Thinking "I'm just not ready" does nothing but stop you in your tracks whereas embracing the process of development encourages you to grow.  So you're not selling your work yet?  Who cares!  You can still be developing things like your artist statement, working out your unique selling proposition and creative voice.  No matter where you are in the journey, having others on the journey with you in invaluable for encouragement and loving critique.
  
  
• Big Fat Lie #3: Maybe I'm Not Really An Artist
  Listen. The fact that you even struggle this thought proves you're an artist.  What is an artist? One who creates. Period.  Selling or not selling your work doesn't define your artistic identity or worth.  However, your own beliefs about your creative identity are the only thing that can limit the movement of God in your artistic life.  Remember, God's Word teaches as you THINK so are you.  He'll never override your will and your own beliefs but will, at any time, be available and willing to co-labor with you to renew your mind to His Kingdom realities.  There's always room to grow and develop in your artistic and business practices but again, that doesn't define you as an artist.  It's simply part of being on a journey of development.

Once you begin to understand your identity in Christ, solidify a Kingdom-oriented vision for your life and begin pursuing your artistic expression without these limitations, you'll start to taste what the abundant life is all about.  If you're a believer in Jesus, you already have everything you need to thrive living inside of you.  It's called the Kingdom and it's active and available to you now.  All you have to do is start aligning with His divine design for your life.

Share your thoughts below! I'd love to hear where you are in your creative journey! Also, find out more about my online artist mentoring program here.

I make my living as a full-time vocational artist, speaker, author and leader of an artist mentoring group.  Because of that dynamic, I get asked one question a lot in almost every situation I find myself.  It goes something like this:  "I'm a (fill in the blank) artist and I want to start selling my work (or start making money, start thriving, etc) but I just can't seem to choose a direction. I like everything.  What should I do?"

This question and ones like it encapsulate the dilema in which many emerging artists find themselves; that is how to go from the proverbial here to there. How do I move from being a hobbyist to a more serious part-time or full-time artist.  It's a big frustration for many that keeps them up at night, causes confusion and even anxiety about their purpose in life. However, it doesn't have to be that way. 

I want to compare and contract the way hobbyists approach their art practice vs the way professional artists approach theirs. This is not to say that all hobbyists are immature or that all professionals have 'made it'... However, in my experience in working with artists and from my own journey, these attributes are true for many.  Hopefully this comparison will give you some insight into where you are now and how to start moving in the direction you want... to be a thriving artist!

Find out more about my online artist mentoring group where I'm helping artists of almost every creative medium learn to thrive creatively, spiritually and financially.