What Kind of Artist?

Vlog Link: What Kind of Artist? PLUS DEMO

Success as an Artist

What kind of artist should I be? ‘Gurus’ always give similar advice to artists about how to be successful. “Find your niche! Be different! Push the boundaries! Do something to stand out among the rest!” It’s a tiresome litany, especially when you are feeling very mediocre, as if all the other artists are better than you and you can never hope to make truly impactful art.

It’s downright discouraging, to be honest. Look, I just paint beautiful or insightful paintings and make functional pottery and teach children the rudiments of music. It’s nothing to shout about, and not much that can be done about spicing it up without getting weird. That’s the kind of artist I am.

Ministry from the Lord

I read a refreshing article this morning though, and through it discovered something that I didn’t know I needed.

The article is by Brett McCracken and is titled “Holiness is Transgressive”. I have linked it so that you can read it for yourself. TLDR: being rebellious and controversial has become passe’. It’s been done too much. Performers and artists are in a death spiral trying to one-up each other on how “outstanding” and “different” they can be, resulting in more and more evil and unrighteousness almost to the point where righteousness is the only thing that shows up as truly different.

With the article on my mind I contemplated my own life as an artist. I’m not accomplishing anything special. I’ve acquired no accolades for originality, no public notice for pushing artistic boundaries, no notability in my niche, and I may never do.

The Lord ministered to me just in that moment. He reminded me that nowhere in scripture does He ask His children to be notable, original, or outstanding. It’s not a requirement. What is required? 

Faithfulness.

He has shown you, O man, what is good;
And what does the LORD require of you
But to do justly,
To love mercy,
And to walk humbly with your God?

The New King James Version (Mic 6:8). (1982). Thomas Nelson.

“Sucker in the Dirt” Verses

I have a couple or three scriptures that I call my “sucker in the dirt” verses. You’ve probably had the privilege of witnessing (or parenting!) a small child that gets angry because they can’t have their way. Maybe you’ve even seen a child that was so angry about not getting one good thing, that another good thing was spurned as well.

In other words, he couldn’t have the toy truck, so he threw his sucker in the dirt and stomped off.

I have “sucker in the dirt” experiences. You probably do, too. Times when you’ve tried all the things you can think of, you’ve asked the Lord for wisdom and you still don’t know what to do or say, or the way forward just seems impossible. Those are the times for relying on “sucker in the dirt” verses.

Micah 6:8 is one of those for me. When life is just too complicated, heavy, painful and confusing, I chuck all my own wisdom and control into the metaphorical dirt and grab that verse, stomping off to try to do just those three things: do justly, as best I can. Love mercy if I can figure out what that looks like. Walk humbly with God, accepting that I need Him, I’m helpless without Him, and handing that situation over to him.

Just Be Faithful

I felt the Lord impressing on me that while His calling on my life as an artist doesn’t yet (and may never) involve being known, lauded, or influential, His calling definitely involves being faithful. Just be faithful.

Just keep making my art.

Just keep mentoring music.

Just keep swimming…

I can do that, with God’s help. I may not do it well, but I can set my intention to be faithful and I can legitimately pray for God to cause me to be faithful.

And that’s my message to you, today. I’m going to strive to be the kind of artist that is faithful. That’s my commitment. If you see me missing that mark, you have my permission to call me on it.

What about you? Does breaking it down to just being faithful feel encouraging, or not? Do you think it’s enough to just strive to be faithful? Why or why not? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Oh, and as usual I’ll always be trying to see the music, hear the colors, touch the magic and awaken wonder and worship in my heart. I hope you do, too. If you’d like for me to pray for you or with you about any of this, just let me know. 

I’ll try to be faithful about that, too.

This Week in the Studio

Fun stuff in the studio this week!

The featured image above is a finished pet portrait. My friend Elizabeth submitted this image for a commission. Tiny Taco only lived for 7 months, but made a big impact on her family’s hearts and lives.

Grand times with the grandchildren! GrandEst always enjoys spending time with these babies.