ISSUE #038
What if the pressure you feel every time you walk into the studio was never meant to be there in the first place? What if the weight to prove something with your art—to make it sell, to make it preach, to make it “matter”—is actually the very thing choking the joy and freedom God intended for your creative life?
This week I want to take you on a journey back to a sacred truth the great masters understood deeply, but many Christian artists today have forgotten: your art was never meant to be created under pressure, but from presence. When your creativity flows from intimacy with God rather than insecurity, everything changes—your joy, your peace, and the spiritual impact of your work.
I’m cheering you on always!
In His love and creativity,
Matt Tommey
PS – Don’t miss all the great artist mentoring resources we have available for you. Click here to find out more.
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Featured Teaser
For quilling artist Terri Riddle, creativity became a sacred invitation to slow down, listen, and reconnect with what truly matters. Through paper, prayer, and presence, Terri discovered how art can flow from stillness instead of striving—and how God uses even the quietest moments to bring clarity, healing, and purpose. READ MORE
CONNECT
Creating from Presence, Not Performance
“Come to me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest… Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.” — Matthew 11:28–30 (MSG)
The invitation of Jesus has always been relational, not transactional. He never asked you to carry the burden of outcomes—spiritual or financial. When we try to force results, we step out of grace and into striving. But when we create with Him, our work becomes a place of rest, joy, and encounter.
Prayer:
Jesus, I release every burden I’ve been carrying that You never asked me to hold. I lay down pressure, striving, and fear of outcomes. Teach me how to walk with You in the unforced rhythms of grace as I create. Amen.
Action Step:
Before you create this week, take two quiet minutes to invite the Holy Spirit into the process—no agenda, no pressure, just presence.
CLARIFY
Laying Down the Wrong Yokes
Many Christian artists are unknowingly carrying two heavy yokes:
- The evangelistic yoke: “My art only matters if it produces a visible spiritual result.”
- The monetary yoke: “My art only matters if it sells or proves my worth.”
Neither of these yokes came from Jesus. When results define us, joy disappears. When intimacy defines us, freedom returns.
Action Step:
Ask yourself honestly: Which burden am I ready to give back to Jesus this week? Write it down and surrender it in prayer.
CREATE
Working from Validation, Not for It
The great masters understood something holy: their work belonged to God before it belonged to the world. Michelangelo believed he was assigned by God. Da Vinci studied nature as God’s imagination. Bach signed his work Soli Deo Gloria—for the glory of God alone.
They didn’t create to prove themselves. They created from identity.
“Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory.” — Colossians 1:27 (NLT)
Studio Action Step:
Create one piece this week with no intention to sell, explain, or justify it. Offer it to God as an act of worship.
CULTIVATE
Let God Handle the Fruit
Your calling is connection. God’s responsibility is multiplication. You bring the loaves and fishes—your faithfulness, your art, your obedience. He brings the increase.
When art is created from intimacy, it becomes an invitation—into wonder, reflection, healing, and encounter—without being forced or explained.
Outreach Action Step:
Share a piece of your work this week with a short reflection on what God showed you while making it—not what it’s supposed to do.
The Core4 Focus Planner™
A 90-Day Undated Planner to Help You Stay Focused, Grow Spiritually, and Make Measurable Progress in Your Art
“This planner is my “tool of intentionality” and sits next to my Bible and journal. It’s also the perfect size to hang on to as a way to go back and celebrate the work that I’ve done. Thanks so much!” – Debby
WATCH & LISTEN
Episode: Why the Great Masters Never Worried If Their Art Was Christian Enough
Are you carrying the burden of making your art feel “Christian enough”? Michelangelo, Da Vinci, Bach, and Vermeer never did—and in this episode, I’ll show you why Christian artists today don’t need to either. We explore a forgotten spiritual truth the great masters understood deeply: creativity flows best from intimacy with God, not pressure, performance, or proving spiritual value.
You’ll discover why so many artists today are crushed under two heavy yokes—the demand to make their art evangelistic and the pressure to make it financially successful—and how those burdens quietly steal joy and block the Holy Spirit. Drawing from Scripture and the insights of theologian H.R. Rookmaaker, this episode reframes creativity as worship, reminding us that art becomes sacred not because of what it says, but because of Who we create it with.
Key Takeaway:
Your art carries God’s presence because you carry God’s presence. When you create with the Holy Spirit, everything you make becomes an act of worship—whether it looks “Christian” or not.
STUDIO TIP FOR THRIVING
Create from Intimacy
Before starting your next session, ask one simple question:
“Holy Spirit, what are we making together today?”
Then listen. Don’t rush. Don’t strive. Let the process unfold relationally instead of mechanically.
WORSHIP
A beautiful reminder that faithfulness flows from relationship, not striving.
FEATURED ARTIST: Terri Riddle
For Terri Riddle, creativity isn’t just about making something beautiful—it’s about becoming still enough to hear what truly matters. Her journey as an artist is one marked by courage, quiet revelation, and a deepening alignment between faith, creativity, and purpose.
Terri’s artistic path began in 2018 after reading Unlocking the Heart of the Artist. That spark awakened something dormant inside her and invited her to explore her creative gifts more intentionally. She began as a painter, but everything shifted when her husband gifted her a Cricut cutting machine. What started as an experiment quickly turned into a calling—Terri discovered quilling, also known as paper filigree, and found her artistic voice in this intricate, tactile medium.
As a quilling artist, Terri rolls, shapes, crimps, and pinches thin strips of paper into detailed coils and forms—florals, leaves, and geometric designs that carry both beauty and intention. Her work reflects patience, care, and a deep sense of presence, qualities that mirror her spiritual life as much as her creative one.
Being part of the Created to Thrive Artist Mentoring Program marked a turning point for Terri. Through mentoring, she gained clarity about her artistic identity, overcame lingering self-doubt, and learned how to confidently share her work with the world. The emphasis on renewing mindset, building sustainable rhythms, and taking practical action helped her step boldly into her calling as both an artist and teacher. Today, she creates with greater purpose, vision, and confidence—trusting that God is actively guiding her path.
One of the most profound moments in Terri’s journey came in November 2024, when she was with her mother as she passed away after a long season with dementia. Rather than fear or turmoil, Terri experienced a deep and holy peace. In that sacred stillness, the words “Be still and know” took on new meaning. She realized how much of life had been spent striving—toward success, approval, and certainty—and how rarely she had simply been. That moment reshaped her understanding of what truly matters: love, presence, time, faith. It also clarified her calling—to use art as a way to connect people back to those eternal values.
Terri has seen God use her art not only through her own work, but through the lives of others. While teaching quilling classes, she watched students grow in confidence and skill—some even beginning to sell their own art using what they learned from her. Seeing that multiplication has been deeply humbling, a clear reminder of how God takes small acts of obedience and expands them far beyond what we can imagine.
At the heart of Terri’s creative and spiritual life is a simple daily rhythm. Each morning, she and her husband begin the day in quiet prayer and reflection. That stillness grounds them, creates space for peace and clarity, and opens their hearts to inspiration. It’s a shared practice that strengthens their faith, their marriage, and their creative vision.
Today, Terri continues to grow her art business by teaching classes, reaching out to local art communities, and staying connected through both national and local artist groups. Teaching has become a powerful bridge—allowing her to share skills, build relationships, and cultivate community while remaining deeply rooted in her faith.
Terri’s encouragement to fellow artists is gentle but profound: make space to be still. In the quiet, you’ll often hear what matters most. Creativity flows best not from striving, but from presence—and when art is rooted there, it becomes a powerful invitation for others to pause, reflect, and connect as well.
You can explore Terri’s beautiful quilling work and learn more about her journey at www.terririddleart.com or on Instagram @terririddleart.
Apply to Be a Featured Artist
Would you like to be considered for one of our artist features? We love sharing the work from our friends around the world who create unique, beautiful and inspired art, regardless of creative medium. And just a reminder, your work does NOT have to be overtly faith-based to be considered. Interested? Just complete this application: https://forms.gle/vmtyk6wg3hSuUAhi9
Resources for Christian Artists
If you’re ready to grow as an artist in your faith, art and even business, then check out these affordable resources for artists just like you.