Thursday, May 12, 2011

Artists' Self Promotion?

Lately, I've been asking a lot of questions to the Lord regarding this idea of artists' self-promotion. Is trying to sell your art self-promotion? How do you NOT promote yourself? Is it okay to promote yourself if you are an artist? If you have to promote yourself to get somewhere, what is the point? These are some of the questions rummaging through my head as of late. I don't feel we need to strive to promote ourselves to get places we would like to be.

I feel this tension between wanting people to enjoy what I have created as an artist and letting the Lord alone discover the treasures of my work. Yet, maybe some work is meant to be heard by others and some is only for Him. It's all for His glory anyway right? Yet, perhaps my personal convictions are different than others. Perhaps it's not okay for me and it's okay for someone else.

Honestly? I just long to be in the secret place. If someone discovers what I have written, so be it. If not, the Lord will provide for all my needs and He will get the glory. At the end of the day, I don't want to write songs so someone can give me money because it was a hit. I long for God to be revealed in it all! I long for people's lives to be changed. That's the point. Now in that, someone has to discover it somehow. How does that happen without self-promoting?

Whether I am singing just for Him or in front of others, He gets the glory. Let us not forget who this is all for anyway. Let's celebrate one another, exhort one another, but always in thankfulness to what the Lord has done. For He has done great things and He continues to do great things through us. What are your thoughts?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Kat. those are some tuff questions. God has given you a talent...doesnt the word say not to bury it? rather go and invest it! so that you can get a return from it. A worker is worthy of his wages. In my opinion, if you are trying to promote your music as a means of supporting yourself as a minister of the gospel and to share your heart with a broken world then the answer is clear. What the world really needs is someone who has come alive. How can the world know that you are alive unless you promote your music. just my thoughts...be free. i know that we would like an albulm of yours!

blessins...

mark

David Guilliams said...

Kat,

You do not know me, but my family and I have been long time appreciators of your fiance's music. One of the things that I have appreciated about Andrew is his willingness to(largely)shun self promotion. I believe that the Lord has graciously and mercifully hidden Andrew during this season of his life. He has run in enough circles to be "seen" "noticed" or "discovered" at this point, and while there are a number of people out there who know who he is, he has certainly been shielded and hidden by his Father. It seems that for most people, that season does not last. A seemingly great opportunity comes along to catapult a person into that place of feeling fulfilled, anointed and "used of God" and most sell out to the temptation. I say all of that to mention how pleased I am to see you wrestling with these issues since you are to become Andrew's wife. May the Lord give you keen discernment into this issue. May Andrew always have a listening ear to hear what his wife has heard from the Lord. In a world where everyone spends their lives chasing their dreams, I would counter what the first commentator stated in his comment - "what the world needs is not someone who has come alive" - what the world needs to see is a people who are willing to die to their dreams and visions that Christ may be glorified in us. We could all learn a lesson from the elders who sit before the throne - when in His presence, the wearing of crowns becomes ludicrous. The only appropriate action is to cast them down before Him as we humble ourselves. May your marriage be fruitful. May you multiply greatly.

Sincerely -- David