Thick Skin and a Soft Heart
How Art School Prepared Me for Ministry
“You take feedback really well.”
That’s what my business coach said to me on a recent podcast episode.
I laughed and said,
“Well, if you don’t, you’ll never survive art school.”
I came to design later than most. I’d never taken an art class before declaring it as my major. I was used to the “normal” academic model—quiet grades, private feedback. You take a test or turn in a paper, and unless you share the results, no one knows how you did.
But art school? That’s not how it works.
Welcome to the Wall of Feedback
In every design class, you had to pin your work up—on the wall, in front of everyone—for critique.
No hiding. No soft landings. Not just from your professor, but from all your classmates. And in final critiques? Sometimes your peers would rank all the projects.
Publicly.
In front of everyone.
It was like putting a little piece of your heart on display—and inviting people to pull it apart.
That was Tuesday.
What It Taught Me
🧠 How to detach myself from my ideas
Your work is not your worth. That’s both a spiritual truth and a creative one.
💬 How to take feedback without crumbling
Critique can be kind. And it will sharpen your skills—if you let it.
🙌 How to work in public
Ministry is rarely done in private. Your ideas are always out in the open.
Sometimes you have to move forward before things are “perfect,” and be ready to pivot when needed.
Ministry Is Not a Business—But It Needs Strategy
Design in the church isn’t about impressing shareholders. It’s about serving people well—even when they don’t respond, even when they ghost your email, even when your beautifully designed flyer ends up in the trash.
You know what helps?
✅ A brand system
✅ A design strategy
✅ A process that removes the pressure of starting from scratch every time
But even more than that? It helps to have thick skin and a soft heart.
Want help building a system that speaks with clarity and saves your team from burnout?
Let’s talk.
No critique wall required. 😉