About 20 years ago, I was working at Eyework Design, a leading design firm of the time run by designer and photographer Neil Pardington, alongside Luke Wood, a fantastic designer and typographer. Luke introduced me to a Johnny Cash album produced by Rick Rubin. The song “Hurt” absolutely blew me away. I was hooked on Cash’s music and intrigued by Rubin’s approach as a producer. I’ve followed his work ever since.
While I’m mentioning Luke, I’d recommend picking up some issues of The National Grid, a graphic design journal he helps edit and design. They’re fantastic for anyone interested in typography and creativity.
A recent video brought together some of Rubin’s reflections, and two things stayed with me: his humility and the idea of our work being an offering to God.
Asked how he stays humble, Rubin describes seeing things come together that he doesn’t fully understand. He’s grateful to witness it and just as happy when a better idea comes from someone else. What matters is that the work gets better.
I love that. There’s something freeing about saying, “Your idea is better. Let’s do that.” We can give our best without needing to be the person with every answer.
This has taken me a long time to learn. For years, I was a stubborn designer with a fair bit of ego and plenty of opinions. I’ve gradually learnt to listen more closely, hold my ideas lightly, and not take myself quite so seriously. I still struggle at times, but I’ve become much more interested in hearing from my clients and understanding what matters to them.
That’s the spirit we want to bring to Vine Design Trust. We want the people we work for, and the good they’re doing, to shine. Our role is to help tell their stories without making ourselves the centre of attention.
Later, Rubin describes making great work as a kind of devotion:
Listen to this part of the conversation.
That resonates with me. Creative work can become tangled up in what others think. Will people like it? Will it get noticed? Thinking of our work as an offering gives us a different place to begin.
When art or creativity is framed mainly as self-expression or self-fulfilment, we can lose sight of what it offers others. Our experiences naturally shape what we create, and there’s real value in that. But when the artist, designer or creative becomes the centre of everything, the work can become more about building a name than giving something to others. It’s a temptation any of us can fall into.
For me, the best kind of art is an offering to God: using the gifts we’ve been given with love, creating something beautiful, truthful or useful because of what it might contribute to the world.
As a follower of Jesus, I find that deeply encouraging. In a secular age where God is often left out of the conversation, what a blessing to know that he watches over our work and inspires creativity, even in a fractured world. A thoughtful design, an honest story or a piece of music can still help someone feel seen and offer hope.
Philippians 2:3–4 calls us to lay aside selfish ambition and vanity, value others in humility, and look beyond our own interests to theirs. For those of us who create, that shapes how we receive feedback, share credit and use our gifts.
So, is our creativity an act of worship or self-worship? It’s a question I need to keep bringing before God. Am I seeking admiration, or offering something with love?
I’m still learning. But my hope is that our work honours God and serves others. We can bring what we have with humility and gratitude, do the work faithfully, and trust him with what grows from it.
Watch the videos:
By:
Matt Watson
