Hello friends!
I hope you had a lovely holiday season and happy 2025 from St. Louis Missouri!
As 2024 began winding down, I started to reflect on what the year looked like. I always find it therapeutic and it helps me in looking ahead and setting my goals for the coming year.
This year was significant as I celebrated my 40th anniversary of living in this great country. Sure, the USA has its fair share of problems and imperfections but being that I have travelled to dozens and dozens of countries around the globe, from 15 countries in Europe to India, Africa and New Zealand, as a self-taught artist, I am grateful for the opportunities and freedoms this nation has provided me.
It goes without saying that I continued to create new original paintings every single week of interesting and attractive homes across the country – after all that is how I make my living – but this little round-up covers my travels and activities outside of this activity.
Spring: Historic Preservation Award – Ste. Genevieve, Missouri
I was honored to present my Historic Preservation Award to Tandy Thompson, a board member of French Colonial American (FCA) for their dedicated historic preservation efforts in Ste. Genevieve, the oldest settlement in the state of Missouri. The award painting was of Gemien Beauvais Linden House built circa 1810. Not only did FCA fully restore the home, but they made it into a living history museum for the benefit of the entire community.
See my blog post about the event for more info and pics.
Spring: Art Show in Benton Park St. Louis
I was honored to take part in the 2nd annual Art Show with my fellow Benton Park artists and friends, Scott Bean (oil painting), Phyllis Terry Friedman (assemblage), and Don Morgan (photography). Additionally, Shawn Hoven (wood art) was our guest artist. Entitled “Color, Form and Rejuvenation – A Springtime Art Show” took place at Atelier 1879, a charming historic event building in Benton Park, formerly known as the Buggy House.
And here are a few pics of the show and the awesome Atelier 1879 venue.
Summer: Spiritual retreat and Caribbean Cruise
This summer I did something I have been wanting to do for a very long time – I experienced a magical religious and spiritual retreat on a beautiful boat called the Freewinds. No matter how much you love your work, sometimes you need a chance to cut down your workload, see new places, meet new people and embrace different cultures and architecture. It was truly wonderful and when I arrived back home I felt refreshed and rejuvenated.
I never got around to posting anything on my blog about this, so here is a little summary and some pics.
Aruba and Curacao Islands
Aruba is a small, but incredibly beautiful island located in the southern Caribbean Sea, just off the coast of Venezuela. It’s known for its sunny weather, crystal-clear waters, powdery white-sand beaches, and vibrant culture. Aruba’s rich cultural heritage, blends influences from the indigenous Arawak people, African slaves, Dutch colonialism, and modern Caribbean influences. We docked in the capital city of Oranjestad, which has lively markets and festivals as well as some stunning Dutch colonial architecture. (Below left.)
Curaçao is also a stunning island which has a fascinating history. It was colonized by the Spanish in the 16th century and in the 17th century the Dutch took control of the island, and it has remained under Dutch rule since. The island is also home to colorful architecture, particularly in its capital, Willemstad, which is known for its brightly painted colonial buildings that line the waterfront. (Below right.)
Trip to Catagena, Columbia
This was my first time to Columbia and any preconceived ideas I had about the country were sweep away with the warm and colorful welcome the Freewinds received when arriving into the port of Cartagena.
Cartagena is renowned as one of the most enchanting and historically rich cities in Latin America. It’s known for its beautiful colonial architecture and vibrant culture and the city manages to effortlessly blend the past and present.
I fell in love with the Old Walled City. This area of Cartagena is a living testament to the city’s colonial past, with cobblestone streets, colorful colonial buildings, and stately squares. The walls that surround the old city were built between the 16th and 18th centuries to protect the city from pirate attacks and have since become one of Cartagena’s most iconic landmarks.
Fall: Helping other artists to find success
One thing I love to do is help other artists to make their living from their art. Let’s face it, there are so many talented artists out there, but many have no clue about the business side of things. A couple of years ago I formed a national artists group with the purpose to Unite, Support and Inspire fellow artists. We meet weekly on Zoom and despite the fact our members are splattered all over the country, some of us managed to get together in person a few times as well. We work under the overall guidance of a group called WISE which uses the Hubbard Management System and I’m quite proud of the award we received in New York based on the successes and wins of so many of our wonderful artists.
Throughout the year: Around 12,000 road trip miles . . .
As you may have guessed by now, my husband Bruce and I love road trips. Though we usually have a destination in mind, we love the adventure of a road trip, the unexpected twists and turns and the awesome people you meet along the way. After all isn’t that what life is all about?
Top, left to right: Trip to historic St. Charles MO; Meeting the Kiwi owner of the NZ themed District Coffee House in Nashville TN; Fun times with Chloe, my delightful great-neice in Clearwater, FL
Bottom, left to right: Being toured by my friend and preservationist extraordinaire Carol Moore in Grand Rapids MI who is currently turning a beautiful historic church into a community art center; Exploring The Book Loft in Columbus OH, one of the most intriguing book stores in the country; Enjoying the fall along the way.
Winter: Christmas and “It’s a Wonderful Life”
As mentioned earlier, 2024 marked the 40th Anniversary of living in the USA, and 37 years of marriage to Bruce, my Michigan man, who I met in Los Angeles in September 1987. Within a month we were married and we have not looked back since.
However, most remarkedly, in all those 40 years I never embraced the American tradition of watching (and re-watching) classic “Christmas movies”. We certainly never did that in New Zealand when I was growing up. This Christmas we found ourselves in St. Louis with a relaxing day to ourselves, so we decided we would go to the movie theatre. But none of the movies appealed in any way. Then we noted that the all-time classic “It’s a Wonderful Life” was billed for Christmas day. Since my American husband had also never seen this movie, we decided to immerse ourselves in this cultural experience.
Guess what, we LOVED it! The movie had such a great message. I’m hooked and next Christmas I want to see another iconic American Christmas movie. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know.
So my friends, before you launch whole heartedly into 2025, take the message from It’s a Wonderful Life to heart. Stop and think of all the wonderful things you do and the lives you touch every day – you just might be pleasantly surprised. And also decide what you want to do to make your life wonderful in 2025. If you feel like it, let me know. I would love to hear from you.
Thanks so much for your support in 2024 and throughout my 15-year art career. I could not have done this without you and this year I received more Christmas house portrait commissions than every before. May we all continue to celebrate the beauty and legacy of the fascinating architecture that surrounds us.
Happy 2025 and here’s to a great year ahead for everyone!
Love Leisa
