God is always teaching me (and re-teaching me) His principles through both His Word and my experiences. I've been on a wild ride of faith ever since selling my private (therapy) practice in California, moving to Tennessee, and starting to make my own art. I have learned so much from that whole experience and I continue to learn new lessons, or old lessons in deeper ways, every day since.
The most recent lesson was brought home to me as I participated in some art classes (glass and resin, blowing glass) while on a trip in Florida. There are parallels in art-making and life. While choosing my glass (colors and shapes) with which to make an angel, it struck me that I was taking a very different approach to the process than the teacher takes to making her own glass art. Neither way is wrong, just different.
I've seen enough painting tutorials and glass & resin tutorials on YouTube to know that my approach to art-making is different. I tend to go with what moves me, choosing colors and compositions that "feel" right to me in the moment. Other artists might plan their paintings or glass art by looking to "the rules" of that particular medium that has been "established" in that particular form of art.
The lesson that struck me was that I needed to listen to my own voice in this particular instance. I was making art that spoke to me. I wasn't trying to appeal to anyone else's sense of art. I have felt called by God to make art in a way that will point others to His beauty and Glory by using my own expressive style of making art. That makes me different in an art world full of people who are trying to get their art into galleries.
The art world can be cut-throat at times, and there can be plenty of snooty criticism to go around. Rather than cave in to the pressure of following all the man-made rules, I would rather listen to the whisper of the Holy Spirit as I make art and live life according to His plans and purposes for me.
Let this be an encouragement to you to drown out all of the human voices that push you to do their bidding and to do it in their way. Instead, tune into the voice of God over all other voices and follow His plan for you and your life. God is working on making you into His masterpiece and He does not want a carbon copy of all the other humans. He wants you to live according to His will, according to His unique Plan for your life, and that will look different than others' lives.
Put aside any fear of not fitting in, not "doing it right", and let God show you how He wants you to be an ambassador for Christ using your own unique personality, skills, talents, and weaknesses. Don't forget, God loves to use your weaknesses too. That's when He can SHINE - His power can accomplish much through your weakness.
Here's To Prioritizing God's Voice in Your Life,
Sherry Joy Collier, Artist & Therapist at The Praying Heart Art Studio
P.S. The photograph of my glass and resin angel below, is blurry, but my phone camera is not able to capture a better picture at the moment. She is made entirely of glass laid upon a canvas and the shiny covering is the resin/epoxy.