Inside the Spin-Mosaic Studio

Just a little story to remind the creative-at-heart to be yourself at all cost. [...]

When it comes to fortune cookies, none of us really believe the words on the tiny papers inside the dry, crusty cookies will actually come true. But, we all do love to ponder the probabilities. This simple story about a tired, bad day reminds us that the God we serve is beyond probabilities. He promises so much more. [...]

The Art Studio stood still this summer. Sometimes unexpected things happen in life that cause time to stand still. A car crash was one of "those things". This blog writing is an artist's-eye view of what I choose to remember: the take-aways I choose to focus on. There are times when our eyes strain to see the silver linings in the dark clouds. Maybe, just maybe, we are looking in the wrong places to find those silver linings. This is one such story from an artist's lens. [...]

Artist are bent on monetizing: we want to SELL. Selling justifies our passion to create. We want our creativity to flow through our hands onto our canvasses (or YOUR choice of medium/materials) and into the marketplace with a high traffic green light! But, what about our art flowing into our community...in the everyday places where we live and exchange product and services: doctor's offices, schools, lobbies. Are we missing out if we don't first imagine our artwork in our community spaces, and then take the extra step to communicate possibilities? This article shares the tip of the iceberg. 100% of barters will fail if we never communicate the idea in the first place. Envision. Ask. Try. Compliment. Money is not what makes the world go around. Art can be currency. Give it a try! [...]

The story of the biblical account of Moses, and specifically the faith and strength of his mother to hide him in a basket in a river...and from there, have a front row view of his remarkable life, must have left her as a #1 candidate when young mother's sought advice on fearless faith. What would Moses' mother say to us today? [...]

Hope can be a slippery and elusive thing. Hope, though, does not grow without nurture. Wether hope is in a relationship, our children's futures, personal goals or marketing for our business, what we spend the most time on is where our attentions fuel or falter. This article shares a simple story of life perspective through the analogy of a mother robin sitting on a baseball. And, in the mix, a value of brokenness towards all things coming together for good. [...]

Why do bad things happen? A world full of intelligent adults and books upon books of theories and doctrines has not resulted in finite answers...only more questions. This mini watercolor illustration shares the story of one little girl who thought she had it figured out. "Through the mouths of babes.", they say. What do we know? What do we know about God and love and compassion. What do we know about guardian angels and prayer? Focus on what is true, and right and good...and lift up the rest in prayer. Let God bring the peace we long for. [...]

This is a simple story about crossing boundaries and the quiet spirit of free will. Life gives us many opportunities to imagine: promotions, people, social media, drama, wistful wishes, dreams, goals. But, until we experience things for ourselves, we will never know the truths and mirages that lie in the gaps between what is known and unknown. In poetic and parabolic prose, artist Christi Ziebarth, takes the reader on a simple journey to cross a field and view a distant tree...only to find that the tree was not what was perceived from a distance. Choose your analogy and if the shoe fits... [...]

New Year's Resolutions come and go. What is trending for 2022? Mental health and delegating responsibility seem to be on the rise...along with navigating the atlas of the heart. What about measuring how we place worth on others around us? How we invest our time? How we choose to love or neglect others? As for me, my chosen New Year's resolution dropped on my shoulders in the midst of an inpromptu elimination conversation with my youngest son--which stuffed animals should go...which should stay? All to say, how he measured worth was much different than what met the eye. I can learn a lot from the way he loves. [...]

The word, "inadequate" is not what we often envision Mary, the Mother of Jesus, to be; especially at Christmas time. Love, Joy and Peace is definately more popular. Associations with the persona of Mary includes a downcast blank stare, peacefully gazing at Baby Jesus, and "going with the flow". As a mother-of-four and a daughter who is a professional birthing doula, I know that a make-shift home birth in a dirty stable would bring more anxiety than the pristine nativity scenes of our century can hold. Once upon a time, I played the role of Mary in a nativity pagaent. I was thirteen; perhaps a similar age to the age of Mary. My drama coach gave some excellent advise on how to "picture yourself" in the role. My take-away was a sense of inadequacy. Actually, this is why Jesus came. [...]

Wether you are a Visual Artist, a Musician or a Writer, claiming the title of "Artist" comes with raised eyebrows, questions, assumptions. It can be hard to wade through the stigmas. Many of us have our own journeys and our own stories of the journeys. Within those stories, are the moments of being marginalized or misunderstood. We, as Artists have the choice to remain silent, go with the status quo, or to speak up. We do not need to wax eloquent, convince, or coerce. But we do, owe it to ourselves and every other Creative, to be prepared to give a ready answer. Speak up. We never know when others are listening who also have creative interests. Our voice may be the first step towards theirs. [...]

This story and illustration shares a familiar brand of disappointment. Have you eve had a dream? Have you ever pursued a goal just to be told it can never happen? Have you ever been advised to quit? Have you ever been discouraged? There is an art to sticking to your guns. There is an art to politely pushing back. This is one such story and it happened just today. Two owls stand side by side. One is real and the other is not. One wants to fly, the other believes that he can't. At some point, the dream and the goal need to become just as much about the pursuit and the desire as it is about crossing the finish line. Or in this case, publishing a book or taking flight. [...]

Jesus said that "...even faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains." My daughter has a necklace that was given to her by a special friend that has a real mustard seed embedded in resin. I have a mustard seed, too. It's the shape of a pebble that my son found on a rainy day and it symbolizes big faith in small places to me just as my daughter's necklace does for her. My pebble is now lost despite my greatest intentions. It causes my mind to go down a path of thinking...I might be able to imagine tiny faith, but I can't imagine that tiny faith moving mountains. Then, what of the times in life when faith feels even smaller than a mustard seed. What about times in life when faith feels like a game of lost and found, or hide and seek? This article does not share all the answers, just one humble artist's journey through a few doubts and few revelations...tiny as they may be. Faith is about trust, not lost and found! [...]

This Article is written in story-form relaying in analogy the truth that we all have unspoken memories and issues that steal our peace and change the trajectory of emotions by day and by night--often, sleepless nights. These are things we learn to "live with". We can forgive; but our memories do not fail us. We can "move on", but they still tug at our hearts like a wild animal on a leash. This article, also, has no answers. But, an acknowledgement of internal struggles and giving the hard stuff into the hands of Jesus daily is a truth we are exalted in the Bible not to minimize, because...the Truth will set you free. What steals your peace? Get it back. [...]

Once upon a bike ride, I ended up next to a decorated art-wrapped hippy bus: a tribute to the early rock era of the peaceful 1960's. I circled the bus three times, took a few star-struck tourist photos, and began to sketch. This article traces the polar-opposite thought-journey of an artist navigating the free-spirit alongside the need to define a business and marketing plan for studio art. Marketing does not come easy for most artists. We just want to create! We just want to get down and busy in the hibernation of our studios. What this means to each individual can be different. They say, "Your vibe attracts our tribe." Clever and cute. Sometimes, the veil of not knowing what to do next draws back for a clear view despite the best advice and strategy books... into a moment of clarity. This story shares one such moment for me...from the voice of a very happy and colorful bus personified. I'm smiling at you. Smile back! Life is where you park it! [...]

A stroll through an Art Museum can, at times, invoke more questions than answers--especially in the mind of another artist. As believers in Christ, we must heed to the words of Jesus when He said, "Ye have not because ye ask not." Life perspective through the lens of an artist's heart of faith, can sometimes...lead to Destiny. [...]

We are all familiar with Random Acts of Kindness (RAK). It's a Pay-it-Forward kind of thing that helps make the world go 'round. It's a good feeling to be on both the giving and receiving end! But, most RAK's have a benefit of witnesses that bolster our egos just a little bit. "I'm a good person today!" It gives us the warm fuzzies! But, what about when no one is around to witness? This, in my view, moves into the PA category, "Poetic Actions." Poetic actions also regulate the hearts of human, no less the hearts of artists. This story is what inspired my illustration and my writing this week. It's not just about saving turtles, which is a very environmentally friendly topic. Save the Turtles! Stop for Turtles. Yes, please do. It's about finding mantras to live by and raise our children by...in unlikely places. [...]

What advise would you give to a young newly-married couple? Sometimes, the least experienced are the ones with the best advice! In this article, I revisit advice given by the flower girls in more ways than one! Live Wedding Painting has added a fun element to my weekend repertoire and I look forward to gleaning much more wisdom in unlikely places from young and old alike. Enjoy a smile! [...]

Sometimes perspective and inspiration creeps up on us when we least expect it. Who knew that an unexpected walk through a cemetery would be the exact source of inspiration that was needed to fill my heart on this particular day. Sometimes the sources of fear that haunt us and suppress joy are quelled simply facing topics that we try desperately to avoid: finality, mortality, loss, fear of loss. God's Words from the Bible share promises about eternal life and the hope of heaven that should overshadow the "Valley of the Shadow of Death" (Psalm 23) with the light of His Love. Can we face fear and find peace in the reflection that looks back at us? On this day, this is exactly what I found. Christi Ziebarth, artist and author, gets to the heart of the matter by discussing a heavy topic in light artistic story form bookended by the promises of God. [...]

Wisdom in life does not always come from the high places or the low places. Sometimes perspective analogy comes in the common and everyday choices, like when to stomp on the break at a red stop sign. Contentments is also a slippery anomaly when viewed through the lens of the saying, "Grass is always greener on the other side.". At the end of the day, what are we each called to do?---use our brains, that's what. [...]

What happens when prayer doesn't look like it should? Is there a certain posture that makes prayer more effective: folded hands, bowed head, kneeled knees? Are there certain things we should or should not picture in our minds? How are we supposed to get this right? Artist and author, Christi Ziebarth takes a second look at picturing prayer though the analogy of knotted pearls, watertoweps that scrape the sky and yellow rural fields. [...]

The Letting Go part of parenting is incredibly hard. There is no roadmap. The entire journey of a fledgling leaving the nest is different for each parent just as the relationship is different between each parent and child. No amount of self-coaching can prepare. One thing that does help, though, is to openly share our own stories. For me, the choice to be grounded in faith provides an anchor. As I let go, I have not dropped my children from high branches in trees to fall with a thud to the earth below and survive on their own forever after like chameleons of rainforests. With faith, we let go of them and commit their future, their safety and their own journeys into the hands of God. God's footing is steady and secure. [...]

Artist and author, Christi Ziebarth, pauses on her front porch to share a Tale of Two Topiaries. Each is different. One thrives while the other dies...or, so it appears. In our own heart-of-hearts, there is such a temptation to constantly compare ourselves with others, even when the best laid mantras and self-coaching affirmations are put in place. Rest in knowing that God knows us better than we know ourselves. He sees our future. He promises a future hope for us (Jeremiah 29:11). He created us. And, he knows how we individually thrive best...despite the appearance of the outer facade. *An mixed media watercolor illustration accompanies the story in full-spectrum subdued color. [...]

The illustration that goes along with this story shows the back of a headscarf. In our American culture, there are only so many reasons why a woman would wear a headscarf. This story paints a picture of what authentic worship of God looks like: surrender, abandon, and peace in the midst of circumstances that steals peace away. So many times we feel worship belongs in a sanctuary or a church, or it must be lead by what is directed from a stage under lights. John 4 shares how Jesus spoke to the woman from Samaria, "There will come a day when people will worship in spirit and in truth...". It's not about where we are or when that matters. [...]

The first time it happened, I was holding a wet paintbrush in my hand. This house was new (to us) and I didn't know it's sounds yet. Was that the furnace popping, or a pipe creeking or did a tree limb just fall onto the roof?   Was the sound outside or inside? How far can sound carry across a cornfield? That was loud.   The early light was already blinding my view as I squinted against the first rays of sun that scraped across the faraway field. Upon a quick surveillance, I let the sound go and got back to work painting. There were [...]

Have you ever felt like a fish out of water? Sometimes it is all about perspective. Sometimes, perspective sounds a lot like faith. Author and illustrator, Christi Ziebarth shares a story from her days teaching among the Amish and how one Amish student eloquently defined "being okay with different." Fishing stories and analogies abound as well! [...]

Artist and Author, Christi Ziebarth explores the universal phenomenon of falling. Falling is not just when something or anything trips us up. Falling is also about the finesse, the grace, and the resolve of getting back up with tenacity and perspective. Superman is known for his flying skills. An illustrated story is retold from the days of little boys in superman pajamas with a parallel to a man in a wheelchair who resolved to make the best of his present limitations by surmounting momentary decisions. Big steps are taken in the small decisions: sometimes they can even help us fly. [...]

God knows our thoughts before we think them and He also knows our prayers before we pray. Author and Artist, Christi Ziebarth, relays a story where a stranger spoke into a matter of uncertainty with a message that could only have been known by God. [...]

It is one thing to create, it is another thing to have to recreate once a creation is ruined: by yourself or someone else. What do we do then? Here is one such story that can turn into one such Superpower--if and when realized. [...]

Author and Artist, Christi Ziebarth, takes a step into parenting through the lens of a mother fox and a the reality-check of crisis. 5 illustrations accompany this illustrated blog while bypassing the common sugar-coated persona of raising children. Parenting is hard. We don't always know what to say or what to do. At the end of the day, we hold our children close to our heart! [...]

Artist and Author, Christi Ziebarth (me!) takes a step backwards into a memory of coming in from the cold; and a step forward rolling snowballs with my own son on a blistering icey snow-day home from school. Here is where we find a brand of love that is hard to pin-point, hard to explain, hard to write about, and even harder to capture in a work of art. There is a quieting that comes over a child when they come in from the snow. The wind is not longer whipping at their pink cheeks. Tiny pea-sized snowballs are not longer itching at their neck. They are no longer bundled tight and high-stepping to track through mounds of snow. Sitting with a cup of hot chocolate is the most quieting and calming 10 minutes of winter. The gentle provision of a mother unbundling a child from winter play and a child soaking in the newfound warmth of still air and freedom of limbs, is a very quieting kind of love. [...]

The Art + Faith Illustrated Blog by Artist, Christi Ziebarth, jumpstarts 2021 with an invitation to share your stories of faith and provision. In this article, 2 stories are shared when within 3 seconds time, quick thinking rescued a child. God can send provision, God can also use YOU and ME to be the angel that is needed. Sometimes, more often than we realize, does God prepare, teach us, and train us to take action when action is needed? When we pray to hear God's voice, are we listening? When we hear, do we act? [...]

Artist and Author, Christi Ziebarth, shares an artistic perspective on Faith for a New Year through the retelling of a cloudy day flying over the Grand Canyon in Arizona. Does it still count as "Visiting the Grande Canyon" when no foot was placed on the ground and a bank of clouds still covered the view? Faith is like this... [...]