• 2023 Live Art Christmas Campus Tour

    I’m super excited to share with you the 2023 Live Art Christmas Campus Tour!! I was originally only going to paint at one service this Christmas. My mom was diagnosed with stage 4 cervical cancer the week before Easter of 2023. She went through chemo treatments all year and was really weak by November. I…

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  • Pat Jacobs 🦋 Memorial

    Pat Jacobs 🦋 Memorial

    My sweet and faithful mom Pat Jacobs went to her heavenly home early in the morning on November 21, 2023. She was surrounded by family and friends as she transitioned. It’s a blessing to know she was greeted by Jesus and a huge welcoming party! She is dancing in the field of flowers clanging her…

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  • “Light of Heaven and Earth”

    It has taken me 8 months to finish this blog not because it took me a long time to type or put it together but because the enemy tried stopping me. 3 times I lost everything so I had to completely renter all the content and that’s because the devil knows how powerful this story…

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  • SOLO EXHIBITION

    SOLO EXHIBITION

    PLEASE MARK YOUR CALENDARS 🙌🏼 I’m so excited to announce…My Artwork is Installed!! SOLO EXHIBITION of my original artwork at Compass Financial, 4801 Weston Parkway, West Des Moines, Iowa. For two months my work will be on display and open to the public for free viewing from JANUARY 5 – FEBRUARY 28, 2023 8am -…

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  • “Color of Praise”

    “Color of Praise”

    Renae’s painting reflected the loud colors of praise. The Sneaky Spirit flowed through her brushes and spray cans and paper cuttings! It was a “Get Loud” painting for Jesus! Get up close to see what was going on in this Spirit-led painting! “Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.” Quote from Banksy. Time…

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  • “Shelter Of Each Other”

    “Shelter Of Each Other”

    “So it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you.…

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  • “BORN”

    “BORN”

    I was moved to create a series titled “BORN” for this Christmas season to represent the birth of Jesus Christ our Savior. This Christmas I pray that we are called to dive deeper into the true meaning of this season. The celebration of renewed mind and rebirth. We can experience this gift of Gods presence…

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  • “Surrender”

    “Surrender”

    I planned to paint this outside to celebrate my 4 year sobriety anniversary. I got to start the piece outside but then the wind started whipping. My paint was drying instantly as it touched the canvas. I couldn’t see half the time cuz my hair was in my face. Then the farmer across the road…

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  • “Eden’s Dawn Light”

    This painting represents the miracle that each dawn brings us. A new day to praise God and share the light. A gift from God to experience another day in his glorious creation. The tree of life represents the wisdom of Gods word and the fruit it will produce from reading and obeying. God created boundaries…

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  • “Real Gold”

    “Real Gold”

    Happy Earth Day! Real Gold is all around us. The kind you can’t wear and it’s everywhere the light touches. A new series I’m calling “Real Gold”. This series will be everything that I hold close to my heart and is important to me. Everything that is gold to me.

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  • Treasures

    Treasures

    Treasures that last are found in each other❤️ -Renae Zanella

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  • Live Easter Art

    Live Easter Art

    Live Easter Art at the Lutheran Church of Hope in West Des Moines!!

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  • “Burst into Song”

    “Burst into Song”

    Burst into Song every time you feel the need! Life is too short to worry so it’s time to just let go, Follow God and Trust the Process. Look for the Signs of Wonder, Believe in Love and Dance in Amazing Grace. God has given us Words of Wisdom that Guide US through this broken…

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  • “By The Bent Mississippi River”

    Random acts of kindness.

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  • “Breath of Life”

    “Breath of Life”

    02222022 Tuesday February 22, 2022 3’ x 3’ acrylic mixed media on canvas I have an overactive mind that’s constantly going over and over things. I take deep breaths constantly throughout the day. Surrendering each time praying for peace of mind. Working on artwork that I can just let it flow and develop on its…

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  • “SOS”

    “SOS”

    Human trafficking is an incredibly real evil that exists everywhere in this world. In 2020, 10,583 situations of human trafficking were reported to the U.S. National Human Trafficking Hotline involving 16,658 individual victims. The Lutheran Church of Hope hosted a conference February 5, 2021 called “Hope Against Trafficking” to help raise awareness. I was invited…

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  • “Trinity”

    “Trinity”

    This year God called me to paint a progressive work of art for Christmas on one large 6’ x 3’ canvas during three consecutive services the 7pm, 9pm & 11pm. I broke the Bible verse into 3 parts. The angel of the Lord appearing to the Shepards in the field, Jesus’ humble birth in a…

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  • “153”

    “153”

    Happy 1 year anniversary to Hope + Elim! Completely overwhelmed in the most incredible way possible from the weekend events. Hearing the speakers Saturday night and then the two services on Sunday moved every ounce of my being deep inside. Absolutely humbled and honored to paint live for the 11am service. 62 years ago Dr.…

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  • “Spirits Rise”

    “Spirits Rise”

    Today is the 15 year Heaven anniversary for my brother Eric Jacobs. He worked at Two Rivers Marketing in Des Moines, IA. He was a father of four boys with one on the way when he passed.

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  • “Immerse”

    “Immerse”

    No money was made in the making of this video using Holy Water song by We The Kingdom & Tasha Cobbs Leonard. I do not own the rights.  Check out the music video for “Holy Water”Amazing!! October 8, 2021 Celebrating 3 years FREE from alcohol and cigs! To celebrate I painted in the creek down…

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  • Trail of Transformation

    Trail of Transformation

    30+ of my original works of art are on display Now – until the end of November 2021 throughout the Lutheran Church of Hope’s gallery located at 925 Jordan Creek Pkwy, West Des Moines, Iowa. God is continuously transforming and inspiring me! Since rehab in 2017 I’ve been learning, listening and reflecting on what God…

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  • “Generous Harvest”

    “Generous Harvest”

    Has anyone else ever met someone during a season of their life when you’ve just walked away from everything trying to find a life worth living and meeting this person at this crucial time caused your life path to change forever? And then you look back often to that moment and can see clearly how…

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  • Taste of Hope 2021

    Taste of Hope 2021

    The Taste of Hope was a beautiful glimpse of what heaven is like. People from all walks of life came together to celebrate Jesus. The heat and humidity did not keep people from coming out Saturday July 24, 2021 to the Water Works park, Lauridsen Amphitheater in Des Moines, Iowa, USA. The Lutheran Church of…

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  • “March On”

    “March On”

    After creating the artwork honoring Rev. Martin Luther King “Lead with Love” I was drawn to learn more about his wife Coretta Scott King. Wow!!! I would’ve love to meet her or had a chance to hear her speak. She was right there marching alongside her husband and even after he was shot down she…

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  • “Lead With Love”

    “Lead With Love”

    This painting was created to honor a man who made the ultimate sacrifice for equality. His message of freedom is still shinning light on the darkness today. It is up to us to take action in a loving way to make this world a better place. We need leaders that lead with love. Rev. Martin…

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  • “Sovereign Love”

    “Sovereign Love”

    I started creating this artwork the last couple days of 2020 and finished it a week into 2021. This is the second lion in a series called “Walk as Lions”. Each year I hope to create another lion that creatively ties the years together as well as soaking them in prayer for the world.

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  • “Peace of God”

    “Peace of God”

    Merry Christmas a Savior is Born!!! My Christmas wish is for the Peace of God to come down upon all the people on Earth. I have found true and authentic joy here on earth and its through Jesus. My life was very dark and depressing for many years until I met him.

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  • “Eternally Connected”

    “Eternally Connected”

    I was honored to paint live for one of the first combined congregation services held at Hope-Elim by Drake in Des Moines, IA. The two churches make a huge statement coming together in 2020 with all the racial injustices the world has witnessed happening here in the United States for way too long. One church…

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  • “Soak”

    “Soak”

    With everything that was happening in the world in 2020 I was faced with a lot of truths within myself. Sometimes I feel like screaming because the world is so messed up. But God does not promise an easy journey He promises to be right here with us. Down on my knees surrendering is where…

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  • “Felicity”

    “Felicity”

    Acrylic on canvas 36” w x 24” h “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.”‭‭Genesis‬ ‭1:1-3‬…

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  • Haven’t Had a Drink In 2 Years

    By the grace of God my life has been transforming for the last few years. After 20+ years of heavy drinking and chain smoking my life had finally spiraled to the bottom. My darkness lead me to sitting on the floor gun in hand sobbing desperately reaching for any hope to a better life. I…

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  • “Morning Glory” Easter 2020 Live Art

    This is the moment that changes everything! Jesus was crucified, died and was placed in a guarded tomb. Three days later He rose from the dead! This is the most incredible moment in all of human history! Holy Week We were in the midst of Holy Week and it looked much different than anyone was…

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  • “Completion” Good Friday 2020 Live Art

    Jesus, a human being in every sense of the word. And He died for you and me! That makes me want to live my life in a way that makes His death worth it. He left a trail for us to follow, a path that leads to a peace that passes all understanding. There are…

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  • “Silent Strength”

    “Silent Strength”

    Isaiah 30:15 I promised my son this painting over a year ago. He was 23 years old about to be 24 when I finished it. I worked 3 full days trying to send it off to Colorado with my parents in time for his birthday. Sorry it took me so long to get this lion…

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  • Use Everything for Art

    Use Everything for Art

    One of my New Years resolutions for 2019 is to create more art. This is a piece I created in January made out of paper towels, lint, fabric softener sheets and acrylic paints. I started saving things I would normally throw away. Things like fabric softener sheets, lint from the dryer, coffee grains, paper towels,…

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  • Only Took A Year

    Only Took A Year

    Happy New Years! Another year went by so quick! Well I started this website last year and blogged that one of my goals was to paint more in 2019. I feel good about the art I created but I obviously lost track of getting this website done. So here it is…welcome to my first official…

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