The Thriving Christian Artist

How to Overcome Resistance to Your Creative Calling: An Interview with Sherridean Carmichael

• Matt Tommey: Artist, Best-Selling Author, Speaker, Entrepreneur and Artist Mentor

Share episode

Send us a text

In this powerful and Spirit-led conversation, I talk with Barbados-based artist Sherridean Carmichael about pursuing your creative calling with bold faith, overcoming resistance, and stepping fully into the identity God has already given you. 

From her years as a top educator to her transformative work as a creative leader, Sherridean carries a message of breakthrough and Kingdom alignment that will inspire any artist feeling stuck or forgotten.

We explore how God uses challenges to shape us, how to recognize and reject the lies of lack and fear, and how walking in your true inheritance as a child of God releases creative freedom and impact.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

  • How to overcome the enemy’s resistance to your calling
  • Why your creative inheritance is already yours in Christ
  • Moving from striving to flowing in God’s provision
  • Recognizing and walking in your Kingdom authority
  • Encouraging other artists through your personal testimony

🌐 Connect with Sherridean Carmichael: http://creativeartwell.com

✅ Stay Connected & Grow as a Thriving Christian Artist:

Find out more about The Created to Thrive Foundations Course 

Fuel Your Creative Calling with Weekly Encouragement
Join thousands of Christian artists who are growing in faith, creativity, and purpose.

Subscribe to The Thriving Christian Artist Weekly and receive powerful, faith-filled content every week—designed to encourage your heart, spark your creativity, and equip you to walk boldly in your God-given calling as an artist.

👉 Click here. It’s free. It’s faith-filled. And it’s just for you.

Speaker 1:

All over the world, artists are awakening. Painters and potters, writers and weavers, poets and dancers not chasing followers or fame, but sons and daughters called for such a time as this, transformed from the inside out, creating with purpose, releasing the glory of God and living in the power of the kingdom. Right now, this is the Thriving Christian Artist. Well, hey, friend, welcome again to the Thriving Christian Artist podcast. I'm Matt Tommy, your host. Super glad that you are here. Listen, this is a divine appointment today.

Speaker 1:

Sherri Dean Carmichael emailed me the other day and we have known each other for a number of years online and watched what each other are doing and all that kind of thing. And she said, matt, god's put something on my heart. I just want to throw some things around with you on conversation and just see what God might have for you to inspire or give a different perspective or whatever. And I was like this is exactly what God's been speaking to me as well, and I'd love to have this conversation. But I said I want to have a podcast with you too, because I know that God's doing incredible things in your life. So, sherry Dean, thank you for agreeing to come on the podcast and we're going to just see where the Lord takes us today. How about that?

Speaker 2:

You're absolutely welcome. It's such an honor at this time. I mean, for years we've been just back and forth by email Finally divine timing.

Speaker 1:

I love it, I love it. So listen, for those folks maybe who're just getting to know you and where you are in the world and what you do, give us the kind of thumbnail sketch of all that you're doing creatively and then we'll get into kind of the backstory and what God's saying right now.

Speaker 2:

So well, I'm Sherry Dean, my whole name is Sherry, and I'm just excited about the Lord. I love him, he's my heart, he's my joy.

Speaker 2:

Everything I do is always with the attempt to please him, because I know we're here for season and you want to make your impact, let go everything that he has given and then move on when he is ready. But I'm excited because, you know, from young I knew that the Lord had really placed on me that gift, that calling to be an artist, and not just for myself, not just to beautify. But I know he wanted something more. And so, you know, from young I committed myself to the education of art and even to art education. So it's one thing to be trained to be an artist but the other to be an art teacher. So I went into that and then went straight with teaching at one of the top schools in Barbados. Oh, did I tell you? I am from Barbados.

Speaker 1:

The.

Speaker 2:

West Indies, you know the island of sand, sea and sun.

Speaker 1:

Love it, love it.

Speaker 2:

Very much so I love it. Clearwater, crystal water is very wonderful, beautiful country. So I thank God for that. So you know, I really got back into my art and you know, just painting and creating. And it's interesting.

Speaker 2:

I went through a period where, after coming out of divorce, I had to start over and, after a lull, not painting, then I had two children, support to support, and the Lord just showed me how I can use my art as a way to bridge the gap. But I thank God, fast forward now. It's not the case. God has brought a wonderful, I say young man into my life who's very much into everything that I am doing. He helped me set here and so now we are working together with our art gallery. This is the second year and I'm just excited because I see for myself how art is such a therapeutic measure, and I woke up to it when it worked on me. So I went on to do studies in art therapy. Now I'm a life therapeutic art coach and I've been trained in ministry as well, and I went there because I just wanted to understand the words of God, to be able to apply it to my life.

Speaker 2:

And from there, as I sat back, I saw how everything just culminates. And should I say the older I get or the more mature I get, we'll say mature, We'll say mature. You know, the dots are coming together.

Speaker 2:

They are coming together, and I'm thinking about artists, who sometimes you're gifted in so many areas and it's like it's confusing. What should I focus on? What should I be doing with all of these skills? You know you have your seasons, you go through, but for me, I ended up being head of the fine arts and music department of one of the top schools here and because of that position, I had to oversee these areas. So I see what God was doing. And now, as I move into the art gallery, you're meeting artists, different styles, different art forms, and now we are forming an art creative fellowship. Again, you see the experience lending itself there.

Speaker 2:

So I'm just excited as to see how God will move, and for me it's not a matter if he will move, it's a matter of when. There are times when you experience his goodness and you spend time with him. You feel lit up on the inside. For years I carried out fire, but now I'm seeing clearly what God has thrown through it, and it's like Moses and the burning bush.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, yeah, so good.

Speaker 2:

Sometimes you go through experiences and you think the experiences will light you or destroy you, but actually God is purifying, refining and getting your attention to move in a particular way.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, I just love that. I'm sure artists are out there saying just like I am. This woman is incredible. She is going from glory to glory Like she's a fire hose of you know, energy and the power of God moving through her life.

Speaker 1:

I know that that's not always the case, because all of us, that all of us have a backstory right, all of us have those those times in our life where we feel like there's a dream, we feel like there's a calling in our life, but then the enemy comes in like a flood with the mirage of fear and all that kind of stuff. And talk about some of that, because I know that anybody that is taking ground in the Lord and walking toward the thing that he's got, that never comes without resistance right comes without resistance, right, it's true, and I mean from the very get-go, because from about the 20s.

Speaker 2:

I can't even remember the date, it was so long ago, but I felt God leading me in the direction to paint more from a scriptural or faith-based point of view all right and I was looking around to see what was done and I couldn't find anyone doing it here.

Speaker 2:

But I knew God said to do it. I started painting and I painted with the understanding you know person might not want to buy my work because biblical. I remember taking part in an exhibition when I moved back to Barbados and they told me it was not accepted and I took that rejection. That was my first rejection in art. I took it very seriously. I mean, I stopped exhibiting, I stayed quiet. But then I realized they said wait, they rejected my work because of the theme. They didn't say anything about the standard or the quality. So then it fed me that because it's new, it's a biblical theme.

Speaker 2:

Even when I was studying for my fine arts degree they say you cannot be representing biblical thing is not fitting, and I had to go through that. So I thought I was odd. But you know, when you stay in God's presence he starts to feed you. And for years, matt, I felt like I was so alone on this journey and I think that was one of the years when I reached out to you because you know, god just started downloading you know the vision for this thing and I continued painting and then, you know, I felt like he wanted more out of this, and it's only over the last two years, and I've been an artist for almost 40 years because I started very young.

Speaker 2:

And it's only the last few years that side of me was received. People are actually excited about this side of it Many persons. When I meet them in person, they will tell me oh, I see what you're doing on the Facebook and on Instagram and so on. Your art is such a blessing to me. I feel like the presence of God is in the room when I look at your art and it's like.

Speaker 1:

Really Say it again, say it again.

Speaker 2:

You didn't like it, you didn't share nothing, so I was just moving on pure faith. And now that's the type of work that I'm being sought for. That's the type of work persons are buying, especially since the COVID. Prior to that, I was more involved in painting sceneries and things on demand and, yes, it was sold. You're glad you had the sales here and there, but inside there was more. And now that the message is being received, I'm thankful. And now God has given me the avenue.

Speaker 2:

Actually I'm preparing for Beyond the Brush how should I put it? It's a group meeting where I'm going to introduce we're going to have worship, the word and art. I'm going to introduce a painting with mary and martha and the theme is who's listening? Wow, god is speaking, he's giving answers, he's providing solutions, but is listening. And I always remember my dad said the solution to every problem is to hear God's voice. Come on, and that stuck with me through the years. So I went through the season recently where I'm just, you know, quiet and listening to God, and I thank God because I'm at that place of peace where you feel like, regardless of what happens, you know God is with me. I know God is with me. I know that he's directing my path and even though I feel afraid I don't know or uncertain what's the next step to take, I trust God that everything I need will come to me, that's right, it's already yours.

Speaker 1:

in the kingdom right, it's already yours.

Speaker 2:

That is it, and that's why I always laugh at Satan. When he took Jesus at the pinnacle, he said if you will bow down and worship me, all these things will be yours. And it's like wait a minute, it's already his. Why tempt him with what's his? You know so this I'm a joint heir with Christ. Therefore, I have to walk, just as Moses. When the pathway was open, he walked just as the priest. As soon as the step in the river, it opened up. So I have to. As I walk, I believe everything comes, you know, according to the word of God, and we have to speak that language. Now, when he reveals, when he speaks, when we read the scriptures, those are our language Because, again, my way is yours, your way is mine. Once I get a hold of that, that becomes my focus.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, so good, so good. No wonder God is raising you up in your country right now, because I mean, what you're carrying is what other artists need to know that they're not forgotten, that they're not starving artists, that they're not on the trying to do this thing.

Speaker 2:

I don't like it.

Speaker 1:

I know, I know.

Speaker 2:

Starving artists. What is that? And we're kingdom people.

Speaker 1:

Come on, come on. And Christians can be the ones that struggle with that the most. Sometimes Right, but we need to sometimes be shaken out of our sleep and say, no, we already have all things in Christ. He's already our provider, he's already given us all things and learning to walk in that, that's where the joy and challenge is um, and I think, as you say, walking in it.

Speaker 2:

The word for me is aligning, which means the same, but it's aligning with his plans, because I remember I told you that when I started off the creative art world business, it was about bridging my financial gap because I was a single mom of two children at that time and I remember I was reading I think it was 1st or 2nd Kings, chapter 4, the story with a woman whose children were threatened to be sold as slaves and she went to the prophet and he's like you know what to do. The prophet said what do you have in your house? You know, go there, get all the vessels you can and keep pouring the oil. And then he said go and sell. And I hear that I said wait, what I have on my art?

Speaker 1:

That's right. Go sell that. That's where the flow is right. That's where the flow is.

Speaker 2:

It's right there. And let me tell you, matt, from there I had lessons, I had lessons, I had mentorship moments and I mean I never the well, never ran dry because of the different gifts. You tap into different areas, different streams in the art. So if one slow down, the other one open up. While that is closing, another one open up.

Speaker 2:

God kept providing. So it's there that I recognize that we, that the traditional ways to see ourselves as just artists, is not complete. God sees us as ministers, he sees us as entrepreneurs and all of that. So when that came to my awakening and I saw you, I knew God led me to you online. When I saw you, I just say, wow, the same thing the Lord has been telling me. This is what you're doing. So that inspired and encouraged me. Yeah, I'm on the right track. Keep going, keep going.

Speaker 1:

I love it. I love it. Listen. I think one of the things that's beautiful about the kingdom is that when God does something in us, walks us through a difficult situation and we overcome and we've got authority in that area. Now he uses us to release that to others and it sounds like all of this journey that you've been on all of these years, not only with your art, but learning to trust God for your provision, walk by faith, overcome the enemy I mean just all the stuff it sounds like that the Lord is beginning to well up a vision inside of you to release others, to gather others and release others in your country. So when did that start? Tell me about what God's saying right now and what you feel like is on the way.

Speaker 2:

I think this started for me around 2010, where, after I started to get the revelation and I wrote it down and I started to see the benefits in my own life, then I recognized that it's just not for me alone and at that time I was just walking on the journey and it was still new here and I and I actually started a group. I started it I can't remember what Bobby it was Christian Art Council and when I was trying to gather persons, the feedback was because they believed that identifying as a Christian artist puts them better, gives them a label which might hinder the wider market okay from patronizing them, and so that was very slow and happening. The timing just was not on. So, you know, I just left it. I kept my pages of the instagram um up and from time to time I'll just put out things there. But then in 2016, we had something called the kingdom art festival and and two persons here, shelly and her husband, campbell they started this thing and I was actually their coordinator for the visual arts. So I was connected with different churches, different artists, and we pulled together and we had exhibition going on.

Speaker 2:

But again, my life went through all the twists and turns and I had to adapt now to singlehood, and that was a journey in itself. God had to rebuild my confidence. I had to do a lot of praying. I even went in terms of therapy because I wanted to be a good mom to my children and all of that happened. But I went through it and you know sometimes people ask why bad things happen to good people. I'm not perfect, but you know my heart is good towards you, know why it happens and you know sometimes it happens because God is even allowing that situation. I don't think he just wants to do us bad, but he knows how to make all things work together for good.

Speaker 2:

So, coming out of that now, my heart was sensitive towards single women and children. So wherever I could I contributed. When God blessed me, even through the art. I contributed where I could. Not only that, because I saw how the painting changed or transitioned me from this messy type painting into something beautiful again and I felt, bit by bit, being released, being able to express and see what I didn't even see, and that measure of healing just brought about an interest. So I started to do some studies during the pandemic season and then I went into ministry with that and I actually saw it worked with a group of ladies. I remember once they were creating artwork. There was one lady in particular. She was making a butterfly and while she was trying to hold up the clay she was just dropping and dropping and sagging. And the Lord just connected with me one time. You have dreams, you want to fly, you want to achieve different things, but you need the right support. That lady started to cry.

Speaker 1:

Wow.

Speaker 2:

That touched me, to see how God used art to expose what it is. She was really feeling. Even another one who's a psychologist, she said I know to hide myself, but shoot, the art exposed me. So all of these things, you know, just encouraged me to continue in that way and I have seen results after results and I'm really humbled and thankful, you know. But the experiences, they say you cannot dry a tear unless you cried.

Speaker 2:

So that stuck with me and I never forgot. There was an apostle Liverpool and I remember when I went to one of her workshops she said this pain, everything that you're going through, has a redemptive side.

Speaker 1:

That's right.

Speaker 2:

That unlocks my perspective on everything. So I started to take a second look. So then everything was coming together, now starting to work together, my art had a different meaning. My spiritual journey had a richer meaning. The gifts he has given me has more purpose. So everything just came together and that's why it is creative art. It's a well where different art skills, ideas will come together, all for the wellness of the body and the community.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, it's so good.

Speaker 1:

I just love what you're saying about God using our places of brokenness and our places where he brings us to victory, and that to now use it as a platform.

Speaker 1:

The thing the enemies tried to use to destroy us, he wants to use as the very platform to declare his goodness and his glory through us. I think we've all got to be aware, though and I think this is as people are listening to this around the world I'm sure there are people like, wow, that's why, maybe, I've been going through all this warfare, that's why I've been going through all this difficulty, because God's got this incredible breakthrough plan for me to be able to use this for his glory, and the enemy is pulling out all the stops in order to try to defeat me and deceive me into coming out of agreement with what God's got for me and just kind of to be able to set me to the side. But, man, when we press through, just like you're saying, not only does God get the glory, we get the opportunity to walk in that, and see what the enemy meant for evil.

Speaker 1:

God used for good and for transformation.

Speaker 2:

That's so powerful, Absolutely, and I know what it feels like to be going through this season where there's no answer, no matter how long and how much you pray or fast. It seems like your prayer is bouncing back and it is so dismal. You're just like nothing is happening and it's like with the snap of a finger as you keep pushing through. It's like God will say enough is enough yeah, yeah and then his blessings comes.

Speaker 2:

He floods, he purifies, he erases the fears, he give answers to confirm what he has been saying all along. Some people, you, you receive a prophetic word, even about your art, and I mean this moment here. Here is prophecy being fulfilled. The Lord said I'll be on media and I'll be on different parts of the world. And this has happened time and time again. It has happened to me in preaching and sharing my life story with Queen's Mindset. And now, here I am with you and we're talking about art.

Speaker 1:

You understand.

Speaker 2:

So how big is our God?

Speaker 1:

That's right, come on.

Speaker 2:

Absolutely nothing is impossible and the main objective when we go through testing times as creatives because we tend to feel things deeply we have to realign ourselves with what God says and stay there, do not move. Learn to part by the words of God and by the promises of God and understand that his promises are yes and amen. All he needs us to do is to keep saying amen.

Speaker 1:

No matter how hard it gets.

Speaker 2:

Keep saying amen. Remember what christ went through on our behalf the beating, the embarrassment, the bleeding. He said amen to god's will. Did he rise? I always reminded satan there's a third day. There's a third day, my third day is coming, so I keep affirming that and I keep saying that and, wow, I'm living it now that's so good I'm getting saved all over.

Speaker 1:

Keep saying that and wow, I'm living it now. That's so good, I'm getting saved all over again. Just listening to you right now I'm like woo, come on, somebody, come on. Hey, listen, I want you to give your website and all that and tell everybody where they can find you. But you know, I don't ask everybody to do this.

Speaker 1:

I just feel like the Lord wants you to pray for people that are in that moment in their life. Maybe they've got something on their heart that they know that God wants to release them into, but the enemy's been beating them up. The enemy's been, you know, torturing them in their mind, trying to get them off track, trying to get them to give up. The situation's too far gone. They're too old, it's too late, they don't have enough money, whatever it is, and God is waiting on the other side of that Amen Right To bring breakthrough and to bring victory in that. And I just feel like the Lord wants to use you right now, sherry Dean, to pray for people that are dealing with that. So can you just do that real quick as we, as we wrap up time today?

Speaker 2:

And definitely, father God, we thank you because you are supreme, you are sovereign and you're in charge of all the affairs of man, just as you spoke this world into existence, just as you orchestrate the sun and the moon and their functions. Oh god, help your children, wherever they are, that they will understand that god is orchestrating their moments, regardless of how gloomy it may look, how painful it may look, how dismal it may look. I speak to your heart right now. Rise up and walk out of those feelings and out of those emotions and climb into the words of God and, even if you cannot move, just call on the name Jesus. Just say Jesus, I'm holding on to your word. Just say Jesus, I'm holding on to your promises. I know inside you have placed within me a gift, a calling to represent your words visually.

Speaker 2:

Oh God, pull out the stops. Almighty God, that your children will walk in their vision, walk in the words and in the promises that you have released in their lives. All the promises of the Lord, all your promises, are yes and amen and every day, help them to look in the mirror and say amen to your words. Whatever promises you've made, write down the vision and put amen next to it In the name of Jesus. You said if two or three will just do it and believe in your name, it will be done. And we call it done in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen and amen. Amen.

Speaker 1:

Listen. If that doesn't get your fire going, your wood is wet. I mean, come on, listen, you know this. God's anointed you as a gatherer and as a fire starter, as one who breathes life. In fact, sheridene, I just see right now the Lord using you. I just see, like your mouth open and life, life, life coming out all over the islands of Barbados.

Speaker 1:

Lord, I thank you that you are using her to wake up the dead Lord, to wake up those who have long had vision and yet not known how to walk in it. God, thank you that life, life and more life, god is being breathed in her, to be breathed through her, and we just thank you for that. Lord and God, I just thank you for rumblings and I thank you for ripples all over the world of what you're calling her to God, that it doesn't just stop where she's at Lord, but you've got big, big, big things for her Lord and we just thank you for that. In Jesus name. In Jesus name, amen, amen, listen, sheridine, tell everybody where they can get in touch with you Social media website, all the stuff. Okay.

Speaker 2:

So you can go to creativeartwellcom. So creativeartwellcom, that will give you access to everything You'll get access to my personal Instagram accounts Sheridine at Creative Art World. Sheridine, you'll get access to my gallery as well Inspirational Fine Arts Gallery, mentorship Program, whatever you need, even podcasts. I started back Awesome, I started back. I started back different testimonies and thoughts with creative. So just go to creativeartwellcom and you'll see everything. And my number of course one, two, four, six, two, five, zero, forty five, oh two.

Speaker 1:

Whatsapp there you go, love it. Well, sherid, listen. What a joy to have you on the podcast today. I know people all over the world are just. I just feel refreshed after talking to you. I know people are feeling the same thing, so thank you so much for being on the podcast today and guys make sure to visit the links that are in the show notes so that you can continue to follow Sheridine and just follow what God's doing through her life. So thanks so much for being on today.

Speaker 2:

Bless you.

Speaker 1:

Hey, my friend, before you go, make sure that you're signed up for the Thriving Christian Artist Weekly. It's my free newsletter, full of spiritual encouragement, creative inspiration and practical tips to help you thrive in everything that God's called you to do as an artist in His kingdom. Every issue is absolutely free and it includes the latest podcast episode, featured artist spotlights, a worship song of the week and, again, tons of tips and encouragement and inspiration for you to keep you inspired and encouraged, and everything that God's got for you as an artist in the kingdom. You can click the link right here in the show notes to join us, and it's a great way to stay connected. All right, love you, bye.