Meet the Artists
MEET THE ARTISTS
Christi Belle is a Santa Ynez Valley local, the founder and co-owner of Art Spot. She is passionate about art and believes that creating is what we were all made to do. Ultimately, Christi hopes to inspire others through the creative process. Fun, energetic and encouraging as an instructor she lives for the moment when students light up as they step back and look at what they’ve created. Art Spot was born out of a desire to share her passion for painting and gifted ability to teach students leaving them comfortable with a paintbrush and proud of what they’ve accomplished. At the inception of Art Spot, Christi, as a natural born explorer, was unready to put down her roots in one location and thus began Art Spot to satisfy both pieces of her passions. After two years as a mobile business she and her wife Maria opened Art Spot “The Landing” to offer a space for ongoing classes, workshops and kids camps. In 2019, they opened up a larger studio that would serve as a community art center where kids and adults alike could drop in to create on their schedule.
Maria Belle is co-owner of Art Spot and has an insatiable desire to try her hand at any and all art mediums she can. She grew up helping her father in the wood shop and learned stained glass working alongside her grandparents creating beautiful window panes for their home. Maria first became acquainted with Art Spot when taking a 6-week acrylic course where she fell in love (in all the ways). She operated and later owned a children’s consignment store in the Valley for 8 years and comes to us with knowledge of business that can only be learned with experience. Maria is a self proclaimed “Jack of all trades, and master of none” and has begun developing a place for youth focused classes, workshops and camps with Art Spot.
Briana Zacarias feels she was born to be an artist. As a child she was introduced to the craft through art therapy and has used it to paint the story of her life ever since. She is now a mixed media artist who has obtained a foundation in graphic and web design as well as a Mastery of Fine Arts from the Milan Art Institute. Through her education she has learned how to find her voice in art and hopes to help others do the same. She strives to help others create a process that suits their temperament and integrates their personality, all while keeping in mind the whole point of art, to have fun! She sees art as an irreplaceable outlet and hopes to spark the same passion for the craft she carries in others.
