
In a world where most décor feels empty, I create art that fills your walls with beauty, faith, and reminders of God’s goodness.
"I finally found decor that speaks to my faith and brings joy into my home." - Sarah W.

So glad that you are here!
I’m Joy, the artist behind Made Seen.
My life has been anything but simple: from a hard-core atheist, to coming to Christ, to being kicked out of a church, to wrestling through seminary, and now to the joy of being a wife, mom, and artist. I never planned to become an artist, but along the way God transformed my story of brokenness into one of beauty and purpose. My hope is that Made Seen gives you more than something pretty for your walls—it offers art that speaks to your soul.
Here is a quick glance of my story:
❀Growing up in China as a hard-core atheist - until desperation made me question everything
❀ Turned to philosophy for answers - until it broke me
❀ A disguised blessing in my failure and the news of cancer - faced death but found eternal life.
❀ Plan my own path - to be a teacher in China, but God had other plans
❀ Getting kicked out of church - so I decided to go to U.S. for seminary
❀ Seminary was way harder than I ever imagined - I wanted to return to China
❀ When I believed I had nothing to offer in the U.S., God revealed my hidden gift—creativity.
❀ I got a mail room job, not realizing it would lead to Made Seen
Want the full story? Just keep scrolling—or skip ahead and say hello to my family!
The Canvas of Life
My life is a canvas, marked by shadows yet illuminated with light. I invite you to read my full story of how I came to Christ and how my art journey began. Above all, I hope you see the beauty of the One who painted it.

Growing up Atheist
I grew up in the countryside of China and was raised in an atheist home where achievement and success were held up as the highest purpose. By the time I reached college, I was striving relentlessly to meet my family’s and culture’s expectations. Every good grade, every milestone brought a brief sense of relief—but it never lasted. I was stuck in a vicious circle: the more I tried to prove my worth, the emptier I felt. On the outside, it looked like I was doing everything “right,” but inside I was exhausted and hopeless. When my mom was diagnosed with cancer, the weight of grief, fear, and depression pressed in. I had wrestled with questions about meaning before, but this was the first time I allowed myself to take them seriously. Why am I here? What is the purpose of life?

😔 Tried to Save Myself — Until It Broke Me
As I dug deeper, I began to see the truth: everything I had been taught to chase, and everything I had been striving for, was fleeting. The endless pursuit of success, approval, and control was nothing more than toil in the dust. I realized no amount of effort could save me from the emptiness I carried.In desperation, I turned inward. I thought maybe more discipline, more self-control, more effort could save me. I dove into philosophy, hoping that one of the great thinkers could give me an answer that would make sense of life. But the more I searched, the more I realized that none of it gave lasting hope. All my efforts only revealed the truth: deep down, I was hopeless on my own—full of pride, selfishness, and brokenness I couldn’t fix. The harder I tried, the more I despised myself.

It Finally Clicked!
It was there, in my brokenness, that I first heard the Gospel. A missionary shared with me about Jesus—the One who saw me exactly as I was, in all my pride and despair, and still chose to die for me. For the first time I realized: my brokenness does not define me. My success or failure to meet expectations does not define me. The many standards my parents set for me do not define me. - Jesus does.

The First time I knew what "Freedom" tastes like
For the first time, I know I am wonderfully and fearfully made, deeply loved, and fully redeemed. He took all my sin, all my striving, all my self-hatred, and nailed it to the cross. My worth was no longer something I had to earn or cling to—it was a gift, secured forever by His sacrifice. Once I knew who I was in Him, I was free—free from the slavery of worldly standards, free from the endless pursuit of approval, free from the crushing need to prove myself. Life was no longer meaningless striving; it was filled with purpose.

From That Day On
From that day on, I decided that everything I do would be for the glory of God. My heart’s desire is to point others to Him—so that they too can experience freedom, true love, and the eternal hope only Jesus gives. I shared the Gospel with my mom. Even as she battled cancer, I knew that if she passed away, she would be with Jesus—that death was not the end. The eternal hope I had found in Christ gave me peace that the world could never give. What was once emptiness is now overflowing with gratitude. And my prayer is that through life, faith, and art, others will see the beauty and truth of the Gospel that forever changed me.
A Dream Never Dreamed
Made Seen was born from a simple seminary project and a season of unseen beginnings. From quiet and unexpected places, God grew an art journey that now carries His light into homes everywhere.

I Thought I'd be a Teacher
I honestly thought I’d be a teacher, marry a Chinese man, and stay in China for the rest of my life. After college, I taught kids English at a mission-minded organization in Wuhan, China. I loved the mission, but I quickly learned that teaching just wasn’t for me — it drained me instead of giving me life. During that same season, I went through one of the hardest experiences of my life: being dismissed from the church community that had been my whole world. I still don’t fully know why, but I think the pastor wanted to silence anyone who asked questions. It broke my heart, but it also planted a deep desire in me — to know Christ firmly for myself and to help others build their faith on a solid foundation. That desire is what led me to ⟶

I Wanted to Go Home
That deep longing led me to the U.S. to study at Dallas Theological Seminary. Seminary stretched me in every way possible — academically, spiritually, and personally. The cultural shock was real and overwhelming, and I wrestled with who I was in this new place. More than once, I thought about quitting and going back home to China, where everything felt so much easier and familiar. My English felt clumsy, I didn’t know what I could do here, and I missed my people. But in that season of uncertainty, God was silently and gently shaping me. He was teaching me that my worth wasn’t in my language or skills, or even in my culture, but in Him alone.

The Mailroom: My Unexpected Classroom
But God had other plans. During seminary, I married Alex (we met in China when he was serving as a missionary), and we started praying about what direction God wanted us to go. One day, I decided to try painting for a creative project assigned by a professor. boom! It felt like God unlocked a hidden part of me, and out poured colors, ideas, and joy I didn’t know I had. Something in me came alive. After graduation, I expected God might lead us back to China, but instead I ended up working in a mail room. Not glamorous at all — but it was there that I learned how to run a massive commercial printer. At the time, I had no idea how much I’d need that knowledge. Looking back now, I can see it so clearly: God was preparing me, step by step, for the journey ahead. That season gave me the skills (and the spark!) I would need to start Made Seen.

It Was Not Overnight
No it wasn't. I began creating the kind of art I wished had existed since 2019 —Bible-inspired, but also aesthetically beautiful and fitting for modern homes. While I was working full time, I never stopped creating, even when I didn’t know where it would lead. The journey wasn’t glamorous, no matter how it might look on social media. As you already know, I wasn’t trained in art. God gave me the gift, but the skills came slowly, through practice, patience, and a lot of trial and error. Around the same time, I also stepped into motherhood. Work and raising little ones didn’t leave much room for creating—but I never stopped. I still remember when Ellie was a baby, I would wake up at 5 a.m. just to carve out time with the Lord and a little space to create. So this has been years of waiting, learning, and growing. Made Seen officially formed in 2023. It was a dream came true - a dream never dreamed.

THANK YOU!
I am deeply grateful for every person who encouraged me, believed in me, invested in me, or supported me along the way—you are a huge part of why I am still doing this today. And above all, I thank the Lord. He is so good and so gracious to use someone like me for His glory. "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain." 1 Corinthians 15:10
Meet My Family
At the heart of it all, I’m a wife and mom before I’m an artist. My husband, our sweet daughter, and our little son are my greatest gifts. Whether I’m in the studio or at home, their love surrounds me—and every moment with them is a reminder of God’s goodness.

Our Joy: Being on Mission Right Where We Are
Through Made Seen, my family gets to serve the international young professionals with our home. We also get to come alongside missionaries across the world—so every piece of art helps spread the beauty and hope of Christ farther than we could ever go on our own.

A Note Before You Go
Curious about what I believe? You can read my faith statement here. Or simply take your time looking around — you might just find a piece that’s perfect for your home. And if you’d ever like to connect, I’d be delighted to hear from you ᥫ᭡.
Take a look around ⋆˙⟡
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Modern Christian Art - Jesus Teaching the Crowd Painting
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Christian Wall Art — “Jesus Feeding the 5000” Print
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Modern Christian Art | Three Crosses on Hill | "Hill of Hope"
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Modern Christian Art Print of Birds & Flowers | "Even the Flowers Know" | Matthew 6
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Let customers speak for us
from 294 reviewsExceeded my expectations on all fronts. The canvas looks like a custom painting for my living room. I am absolutely delighted with it! Ordered stretched canvas Sermon on the Mount 60”x 40”
Beautiful for my classroom! The print is great quality. The shipping was delayed over 2 weeks, but the seller was very helpful and responsive to solve the issue. I was so happy when it arrived!
We want our home to be focused more on Christ, so we got rid of our tv and put this where it used to go. Now, we look to the center of our family room and become part of the crowd of people listening to Jesus, rather than the mindless zombies we were while watching tv. This is significant for us. Thank you for this wonderful and inspiring work of art.
Picture was packaged and shipped beautifully! We could not wait to receive these prints for our office and wow!!!! Just gorgeous and love the artist purpose behind her art
Such a creative piece! From the hand-lettering to the "wavy" lines and sea creatures, everything about it points back to our Creator, as a piece on Genesis should! Can't wait to frame and hang in our church! Thank you so much!
I got prints including this one as gifts for others and myself. I couldn't be more pleased with each one. The one I chose for myself gives me joy everytime I look at it. I am pretty sure I will buy more to give as gifts this year.
We loved this beautiful and inspiring art print, and it was wrapped with great care and craftsmanship. Joy was very responsive and helpful with my questions. Thank you!
Beautiful artwork pristinely packaged and timely shipping. Highly recommend!
Beautiful item and Joy is so accommodating with orders when help is needed and quick to respond.
Quality of the item and quality of service are both 5 stars!! Highly recommend and will order again in the future!
I love this item. It's so beautiful and creative how the creation story centers around the cross. Thank you for this beautiful piece of art. I can't wait to hang it in my home!
Quality product and fast delivery. Will look perfect in my grandson's nursery that is themed with airplanes and adventure.
The piece is beautiful and even better than I expected. And Joy was incredibly helpful in answering my questions before ordering!
Beautiful print, I love it so much ❤️ Thank you for the handwritten letter and the care put into keeping it packaged well! I will definitely be a return customer 😊
Was very happy with my experience using this shop. The prints arrived just as expected and in good condition due to the careful packaging of the seller. Joy made a custom order for me and it was the perfect pastoral send-off gift! Thanks again!