Christina Habibi: Art that gives back
Image Courtesy: @christinahabibi on Instagram
In 2025, Athens local artist Christina Habibi launched the “Donate to Own” program, helping families facing food insecurity and loss of essential benefits by selling her abstract art. One hundred percent of proceeds go to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia.
To obtain a piece by Habibi, buyers claim the piece for free by reserving it on her website for 24 hours. Following this, buyers receive a link via email, allowing them to donate the cost of the painting to the Food Bank of Northeast Georgia. Upon forwarding the donation receipt to Habibi, the buyer then receives an original painting, giving back to their community in the process.
“If you don’t have to feel like it’s a big indulgence, you can have a beautiful piece of art on your wall and also feel like you’re making a difference to help people get food,” Habibi said. “The thing is I know that SNAP has been reinstated, but I’m not done.”
Even after the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program’s (SNAP) reinstatement by President Donald Trump following the federal government shutdown, Habibi persists in her efforts to maintain food security in her community by continuing forward with “Donate to Own.”
Besides this program, Habibi also opens her studio on the third Thursday of every month to other local artists, allowing them to display their work across her walls.
“The other thing that I really want to do that’s important to me is share this space with other artists,” Habibi said.
Habibi’s mother was an artist herself. Despite her mother specializing in portraiture, Habibi started off by doing mosaics during her time as a tile setter. Now, she puts a focus on her paintings, with her own home being decked out in her artwork.
“One morning, literally, I woke up, opened my eyes and I just had an urge to be painting,” Habibi said. “It was so overwhelming. It was weird. I sort of like, felt the movement in my body, like I got to get a paintbrush.”
As an abstract artist, Habibi embraces that her thoughts on a piece may fluctuate as time progresses. She often revisits pieces with new perspectives, sometimes even almost a year after their initial creation.
“I’m just letting the creativity flow,” Habibi said. “It feels right when I stop, or maybe I keep going, but when I finally do stop, I’m good. But it’s always a mystery even to me. It’s like I get to experience my own art as something almost somebody else has made.”
Strike Out,
Nathaniel Cooper
Editor: Sydney Annis
Athens