• Discovering Your Artistic Strengths

    Discovering Your Artistic Strengths

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    ISSUE #026

    One of the greatest joys of being an artist is discovering the unique ways God has wired you to see, interpret, and create. Romans 12:6 reminds us that “In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well.” That includes the gift of creativity. You don’t have to be like anyone else, and you don’t have to compare your journey with another’s. The way you create, the materials you love, and the stories you tell through your art are all intentional expressions of His design in you.

    When you begin to embrace the strengths He’s placed inside of you, your creativity becomes more than just self-expression—it becomes Kingdom expression. My encouragement for you this week is to lean into the beauty of what makes your art distinct. Explore, experiment, and trust that the Holy Spirit is guiding you not only in your spiritual walk but also in your creative journey.

    May this week be filled with intentional reflection, creative breakthroughs, and meaningful connection with the Creator who put that beautiful imagination inside you.

    In His love and creativity,
    Matt Tommey

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    Meet Muriel Luedeman…

    In our Featured Artist section this week, meet a former Hallmark artist who opened her studio at 72 and discovered a second voice in Holy-Spirit-led abstracts. Her realism makes you linger; her abstracts make you worship. Come see how daily faithfulness turned into JOY and FREEDOM in the studio.

    See Her Art, Read Her Story

    CONNECT

    Scripture: “In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well.” — Romans 12:6 (NLT)

    God has uniquely gifted you as an artist. Your strengths aren’t random—they’re fingerprints of His creative DNA in your life. As you grow in intimacy with Him, He’ll reveal not only what you can do but also why it matters.

    Prayer:
    Father, thank You for the unique creative strengths You’ve placed in me. Help me stop comparing myself to others and instead walk boldly in the gifts You’ve entrusted to me. Teach me to use my art as a reflection of Your grace and beauty in the world. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

    Action Step: Write down three artistic strengths you recognize in yourself this week, and thank God for each one.

    CLARIFY

    Sometimes the hardest part of moving forward is simply recognizing where your strengths lie. When you focus on the gifts God has placed inside you, clarity begins to emerge about where to invest your time and energy. Ask the Lord: “What part of my creativity do You want me to lean into this week?”

    Action Step: Take 15 minutes to prayerfully list out your top three creative goals for this season. Circle the one that most aligns with your strengths, and commit to pursuing it intentionally this week.

    CREATE

    When you know your strengths, you can create with freedom instead of striving. For example, if you excel at color, lean into bold palettes. If your strength is storytelling, craft collections that weave a narrative. Whatever your gift, celebrate it in the studio this week.

    Action Step: Set aside one hour this week to create a piece of art that highlights one of your strongest artistic abilities. Don’t overthink it—just create as an act of worship and gratitude.

    CULTIVATE

    Your artistic strengths are not just for you—they’re a gift to others. When you share your work from a place of confidence in what God has given you, people are drawn to the authenticity and joy that radiates through your art. That’s how connection grows, both spiritually and in business.

    Action Step: Share one piece of art on social media this week with a short caption explaining the specific strength God has given you that shines through in that piece. Watch how it resonates with your audience.

    Are you loving this Core4 rhythm every week? Get the Core4 Focus Planner and let it help you create a daily rhythm of living and creating with God.

    This issue SPONSORED BY

    Discover your unique artistic voice and grow in faith, business, and community through the Created to Thrive Artist Mentoring Program—your step-by-step path to thriving as the artist God made you to be.
    👉 Learn More Here

    WATCH & LISTEN

    In this episode of the Thriving Christian Artist Podcast, Matt Tommey unpacks how to:

    ✅ Recognize the whisper of your creative soul

    ✅ Decode your unique artistic DNA

    ✅ Cultivate your God-given gifts over time

    ✅ Share your art to create a ripple effect of impact

    Whether you’re just starting out or have been creating for years, this message will help you uncover your artistic superpower—not in a single moment, but through a faithful, ongoing journey with God.

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    LISTEN ON SPOTIFY

    And in this powerful episode of The Thriving Christian Artist Podcast, I sit down with long-time friends Stephen and Tricia Preston, a creative couple whose lives are a beautiful example of artistry, ministry, and Kingdom impact working hand-in-hand. From running multiple creative ventures to hosting a thriving conference for artists in their church community, the Prestons have spent decades inspiring and equipping others to step boldly into their God-given creativity.

    TECH TIP FOR THRIVING

    Pinterest isn’t just a place for recipes and DIY projects—it’s a powerful visual platform where creative buyers and collectors are already looking for inspiration. By creating curated boards, you can collect ideas that spark your creativity and showcase your own work in a visual way that builds trust with potential buyers.

    Pro Tip: Start a board called “Art Inspiration” and pin 10 images that reflect your style or inspire you. Then, add at least 3 of your own pieces to that board. This helps position you not just as an artist but as a curator of beauty.

    👉 Explore Pinterest here: https://pinterest.com

    WORSHIP

    This week, as we focus on Discovering Your Artistic Strengths (Romans 12:6), Pat Barrett’s powerful worship song Canvas and Clay reminds us that we are God’s masterpiece, shaped by His hands and designed with intention. Just like a potter molds clay or an artist paints on canvas, the Lord has given each of us unique gifts for His glory.

    Let this song encourage you to rest in the truth that He never makes mistakes. Every stroke of His brush and every detail of your design carries purpose. As artists and creatives, we can find fresh confidence in knowing our identity and strengths are formed by the Creator Himself.

    👉 Listen, worship, and be reminded: You are beautifully and wonderfully made in Christ.

    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.

  • When Heaven Touches Earth: How God Uses Ordinary Things for Supernatural Impact

    When Heaven Touches Earth: How God Uses Ordinary Things for Supernatural Impact

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    As children of God, we’ve been invited into His supernatural process of creativity to reveal and reflect His glory in the world. Our lives are meant to be an overflow of His presence—an intersection point where heaven meets earth through us.

    One of the most beautiful ways we walk that out is by following Jesus’ example: taking what’s natural, speaking life to it through the power of the Holy Spirit, and watching God transform it into a supernatural expression of His glory (John 14:12, Romans 8:11).

    God modeled this from the beginning. He could’ve spoken humanity into existence with a word—just like He did the sun, moon, and stars. But He didn’t. He chose to stoop down, take the dirt of the earth, form it with His hands, and breathe His very life into it (Genesis 2:7). That wasn’t just about creating man—it was about modeling a divine process. He wanted us to see that transformation often comes when heaven touches earth through willing hands.

    Of course, we know in the Kingdom we have authority to speak things into being. Proverbs 18:21 reminds us that “life and death are in the power of the tongue,” and Romans 4:17 declares that we can call those things which do not exist as though they did. When we pray in faith and align our words with God’s will, heaven responds.

    But there’s another dimension of supernatural living I want to highlight—one that’s hands-on and participatory. When Jesus performed His first miracle at the wedding in Cana, it wasn’t flashy or self-promoting. He wasn’t trying to make a name for Himself. He was moved by compassion and love for His mother. Quietly and intentionally, He turned water into wine—not just any wine, but the best wine—because that’s what love does (John 2:1–11).

    That act was simple yet profound: a moment of honor, love, and faith. He took something ordinary and transformed it for Kingdom purpose. And He did it without fanfare.

    Later, when Jesus encountered the blind man, He didn’t just heal him with a word. He got His hands dirty—literally. He spit into the dust and formed mud. He took something of Himself and something from the earth, combining them in a supernatural process that restored sight (John 9:6–7). That wasn’t just a healing—it was a prophetic picture.

    Jesus, the Living Word, blended heaven and earth in His own hands and released the power of the Kingdom. What was once dirt became destiny. Those weren’t just mudballs—they were miracles in the making.

    That same pattern shows up all throughout Scripture. God places something in the hands of His people—a rod, a jar of oil, five loaves and two fish—and invites them to trust Him. Through obedience and faith, the natural becomes the setting for supernatural release (Exodus 14:16, 2 Kings 4:1–7, John 6:1–13).

    Despite what religious ivory towers may teach, the supernatural life isn’t a thing of the past. The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in us (Romans 8:11). Jesus said we would do the works He did—and even greater (John 14:12). That’s not a metaphor. That’s a mandate.

    Jesus came not only to redeem and restore us but to model how to operate supernaturally in the natural world. Not just by speaking things into existence, but by exercising dominion over the earth through faith, obedience, and creative partnership with the Father.

    So let me ask you:
    What mudballs has the Lord placed in your hands?
    What ordinary thing could become extraordinary under the influence of your faith and His grace?

    You weren’t placed in this world just to pray for change—you were born to release the Kingdom. God has already placed ideas, resources, relationships, and opportunities around you. Ask Him to show you how to use what you’ve got to bring Him glory and transform lives.

    When heaven touches earth through you, miracles happen.

    Find out more about how to walk in God’s IDEAL for Kingdom Living.

  • Finding Your Unique Artistic Voice: The Essential Design Elements That Define Your Creative Identity

    Finding Your Unique Artistic Voice: The Essential Design Elements That Define Your Creative Identity

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    In a world saturated with creative content, developing a distinctive artistic voice isn’t just helpful—it’s essential. But here’s the thing: your unique voice isn’t some mystical quality that either strikes like lightning or remains forever elusive. It’s built through intentional design choices that become your creative DNA.

    Beyond the “Squishy and Ethereal”: Making Voice Tangible

    Too often, we talk about artistic voice in vague terms—”balance,” “harmony,” “style.” But these concepts only become powerful when we can identify the specific, replicable elements that create them. When you can look at ten pieces of your work lined up and see not only consistency within each piece but also consistency between pieces, that’s when you know you’re developing a true artistic voice.

    The Five Pillars of Distinctive Design

    1. Intentional Repetition: Your Visual Vocabulary

    Repetition isn’t about being boring—it’s about creating a visual language that speaks fluently about who you are as an artist. This means:

    • Consistent use of specific elements (textures, shapes, forms)
    • Repeated compositional approaches that feel natural to you
    • Signature techniques that appear across multiple works

    The key is making these repetitions feel organic, not forced. When elements naturally echo throughout your work, viewers begin to recognize your “handwriting” before they even see your signature.

    2. Cohesive Color Relationships: Your Emotional Palette

    Many distinctive artists work within deliberately limited color palettes. This isn’t a restriction—it’s a superpower. A cohesive color approach:

    • Creates immediate visual unity across your body of work
    • Allows you to master subtle variations within familiar territory
    • Builds emotional consistency that viewers can connect with
    • Makes your work instantly recognizable in any setting

    Consider how your color choices reflect your personality, your environment, or your emotional response to the world.

    3. Strategic Contrast: The Art of Visual Hierarchy

    Effective contrast isn’t just about light versus dark—it’s about creating intentional focal points that guide the viewer’s eye exactly where you want it to go. This includes:

    • Value contrast (light against dark)
    • Textural contrast (smooth against rough)
    • Scale contrast (large elements supporting smaller details)
    • Conceptual contrast (simple backgrounds supporting complex focal points)

    The magic happens when your contrast choices become predictable in the best way—viewers learn to trust that you’ll take them on a visual journey.

    4. Compositional Flow: Your Unique Movement Language

    Every artist develops a particular way of moving the eye through their work. This might be:

    • Circular movements that bring viewers back to center
    • Linear progressions that create narrative flow
    • Radial patterns that explode outward from focal points
    • Layered depths that invite extended exploration

    Your compositional preferences reveal how you see and experience the world—and become part of your artistic signature.

    5. Textural Consistency: The Physical Language of Your Materials

    Whether you work in paint, clay, fiber, or mixed media, you likely have instinctive preferences for:

    • Surface qualities (smooth, rough, layered, weathered)
    • Tool marks and application methods
    • Levels of detail versus simplicity
    • Ways of building up or carving away

    These physical choices become as distinctive as handwriting, creating tactile recognition even in photographs of your work.

    The Development Process: From Intuition to Intention

    Here’s what many artists don’t realize: you probably already have the beginnings of a unique voice—you just haven’t recognized and refined it yet. The development process involves:

    Step 1: Recognition Look at your last 10-20 pieces. What elements keep showing up? What color combinations do you gravitate toward? What compositional approaches feel most natural?

    Step 2: Intentional Repetition Once you identify your natural tendencies, begin using them more deliberately. If you naturally create circular compositions, explore that fully rather than fighting it.

    Step 3: Systematic Refinement Treat each new piece as an opportunity to refine your visual vocabulary. Ask: “How can this piece strengthen the consistent elements that make my work recognizable?”

    Beyond Copying: The Difference Between Influence and Imitation

    Developing your voice doesn’t mean working in isolation. The goal isn’t to create something never seen before—it’s to filter everything through your unique perspective and preferences. When you see work that resonates with you, ask:

    • What specific design elements create that effect?
    • How could I achieve something similar using my own visual vocabulary?
    • What would this approach look like filtered through my color preferences, my compositional style, my material choices?

    The Long Game: Building Recognition Over Time

    A distinctive artistic voice isn’t built overnight. It emerges through:

    • Consistent practice within your chosen parameters
    • Gradual refinement of your signature elements
    • Confident commitment to your natural preferences
    • Thoughtful evolution rather than constant reinvention

    Your Voice as Your Competitive Advantage

    In our connected world, technical skill alone isn’t enough. Viewers are drawn to work that feels authentic, consistent, and emotionally resonant. When your artistic voice is strong and clear:

    • Collectors know what to expect from you
    • Your work becomes more memorable and shareable
    • You can command higher prices for your unique perspective
    • You build genuine connection with your ideal audience

    The Permission to Be Yourself

    Perhaps the most important element of developing your artistic voice is giving yourself permission to embrace what comes naturally. Your voice isn’t hiding somewhere “out there”—it’s already emerging in the choices you make instinctively.

    The question isn’t “What should my artistic voice be?” It’s “What is my artistic voice trying to become, and how can I support that development?”

    Your artistic voice is your creative fingerprint—unique, valuable, and entirely yours. By paying attention to the specific design elements that feel most authentic to you and developing them with intention, you create work that doesn’t just look good—it looks unmistakably like you.

    Ready to Develop Your Voice AND Build a Thriving Art Business?

    Finding your artistic voice is just the beginning. What if you could also learn how to:

    • Turn your unique creative gifts into sustainable income
    • Build genuine relationships with collectors who love your work
    • Develop the business systems that support your art (without compromising your creativity)
    • Connect with other Kingdom artists who are serious about their calling
    • Get practical, proven strategies for commissions, galleries, and online sales

    The Created to Thrive Artist Mentoring Program provides the complete roadmap for artists who want to flourish both creatively and financially. You’ll get access to:

    • Step-by-step business training specifically designed for artists
    • A supportive community of like-minded creatives
    • Regular coaching calls and expert guidance
    • Proven systems for everything from pricing to client relationships
    • Resources for growing in your creative calling as an artist in the Kingdom

    This isn’t just about making money from your art—it’s about stewarding your gifts well and building the life and business that allows your creativity to thrive.

    Ready to take the next step in your artistic journey?

    Join the Created to Thrive Artist Mentoring Program and discover how to develop both your unique voice and a business that supports your creative calling.

    Your artistic voice is already emerging. Now let’s help you build a thriving art business around it.