Original portrait of home to capture special family memories. . .
A home isn’t just a structure—it’s where memories, routines, and identity are formed. Losing it can feel like the death of a loved one. It is one of the most traumatic and destabilizing experiences a person or family can go through. The impact ripples across multiple dimensions of life.
When the deadly Eaton Fires swept through Altadena CA last January, it’s impact was profound. Over 9,000 structures were destroyed, including homes, beloved businesses, and historic landmarks. This mangled fire-charred Altadena home was one of the sad casualties. My client, Trafton, contacted me recently saying that this was the home he and his siblings grew up in and that he would like me to create a house portrait of the beloved family home his parents lived in for 33 years He and his siblings planned to give the painting to his parents to hang on the wall when they bravely rebuild on the same property.
With Trafton’s help, I went to work, piecing together any photos and videos he could provide to me. It was like creating a trapestry of memories, with all their emotions and joy.
Here is the painting I have just completed of this ranch home on Alta Wood Drive that was once a vibrant and welcoming dwelling.
My hope is that my portrait will help the family members reminisce about the happy times they spent at this home nestled in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. That they may remember the times they sat in the comfortable Adirondacks chairs, when they sat together under the welcome shade of the matching umbrellas, while enjoying the color of the well-tended garden and the abundant wildlife that surrounded them.
The home sat on a large corner lot and this photo depicts the front of the house with an addition that was added. This taller addition is all that can be recognized in the post fire photo above.
And to end on a happy note, here is a fun family photo with parents and children taken not long before the fire occurred.
I wish the family the very best in the coming months and years and a thank you to Trafton for allowing me to honor this home which is now lost. . . . but certainly not forgotten.
Leisa
