New Home and Studio in St. Louis!
Leaving Michigan . . . . It was a blustery summer day and finally all signs of city life were now behind us. I was at the wheel. Bruce seemed to be aimlessly flicking through his phone. Lush green trees and fields dotted with red barns, farmhouses and haystacks lay before me. This was pure Michigan at its best! We were headed due south for a welcome break in Florida and planned to make camp for the night in German Village, Columbus. We had promised ourselves a nice hotel and I was dreaming about the hot tub that awaited us. . . Suddenly, the idyllic silence was broken. "I found it!" exclaimed Bruce excitedly. "It's just been listed - it's the house we've been looking for!" We had already decided…
Featuring a Historic Preservation Hero!
Highlighting the woman behind the transformation of a historic Grand Rapids MI Church into a community art center [caption id="attachment_30664" align="alignright" width="491"] The painting of what will become a vibrant art center on Hermitage and Diamond in the East Hills neighborhood[/caption] This is a project I am honored to be involved in: the ongoing transformation of a once vacant and crumbling historic church which is now being turned into a vibrant art center that the entire Grand Rapids community can enjoy. Just over a year ago, I created this painting of the church at 1009 Hermitage St SE in the East Hills neighborhood of Grand Rapids, in support of the renovation efforts. My painting depicts how the church will look when fully completed, freshly painted, a new roof and restored windows…
Watercolor House Portraits Celebrating Autumn
Welcome to Fall! It is now officially fall, and while we hate to say goodbye to summer, there is so much magic to be found in Autumn! Homes surrounded in golden color are so artistically inspiring. I stopped and thought about what I love most about Autumn and why it is so enchanting. I’ve also collected some of my original house portraits from all across the United States that truly celebrate the beauty of the season. This is what I came up with… I love the way the earth is transformed from lush green to golden shades of Autumn color. I love the falling leaves and the sound of crisp leaves rolling against the pavement. . . [caption id="attachment_31696" align="aligncenter" width="1990"] Bristol, VA[/caption] [caption id="attachment_6561" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Kensington, MD[/caption] I love…
A Happy Ever After Story of a Home. . .
From train wreck to grand painted lady! I get to meet a lot of great houses with my occupation, but I also have the pleasure of meeting many wonderful homeowners. This is one such homeowner in Wilmette, Illinois. The beginning of their “once upon a time’ story was July 7, 1995, when Tim and his wife Pam took on a dilapidated Victorian built in 1893. The home had unfortunately been stripped of virtually all its charming Victorian “gingerbread” features. And like others who tackle such a herculean task, the couple battled through whatever was thrown at them to make their home beautiful once more – while bringing up a family at the same time. Here's how their home looked when they purchased it. [caption id="attachment_31468" align="aligncenter" width="500"] The forlorn looking…
Helping Artists Succeed!
Creating a Niche Market for your art. While in Lansing MI a couple of weeks ago, and before heading down to St. Louis, I had the honor of facilitating a workshop for a dozen extremely talented local artists. I am an affiliate member of a wonderful arts administration firm based in Lansing called Opportunity Arts LLC, and the founder of this organization, Mike Mariott, organized the event. The workshop took place at the famous Lansing heritage landmark, Turner-Dodge House, and the theme was how to create a niche market for ones art. I also gave tips regarding how to making your living as an artist as well as creating consistent reliable income as a career artist. What a great group of artists, all with their own creative skills and diverse…
Meet me in St. Louis … the house that was
The sad demise of a historic beauty . . . Most of us know the famous song, "Meet me in St. Louis" sung by Judy Garland. It's the theme song of the movie of the same title which was released in 1945. Being that I am now here in St. Louis, I decided I had it was time to get in the swing of things so I watched this old classic. It's hard to imagine life actually being the way it is depicted, but never-the-less it was certainly entertaining. The movie is based on author Sally Benson's collection of short stories which she wrote for The New Yorker. Benson's maiden name was Smith, and she wrote about her life on Kensington Avenue, St. Louis in the late 1800s and early 1900s.…
Our New Adventure Begins. . . in St. Louis, Missouri!
As is well known, my husband Bruce and I have lived in all parts of the United States. In fact in 2017 we moved to St. Louis for a few months, and while we loved it there we decided that Florida would be a better choice. So off we went. How wrong we were and the grand old city of St. Louis --with its myriad of art, history and cultural diversity-- called us back. So it's now official and to prove it, we have even purchased a beautiful 1911 home in Benton Park, one of the most historic neighborhoods in the city. Strangely, almost every time we announce the fact we have moved to St. Louis -- even to locals -- their first response is, "Really?" and their next response…
Update: Historic Grand Rapids Church Transforming into Art Center
This is a project I am honored to be involved in: the ongoing transformation of a once vacant and crumbling historic church which is now being turned into a vibrant art center that the entire Grand Rapids community can enjoy. Just over a year ago, I created this painting of the church at 1009 Hermitage St SE in the East Hills neighborhood of Grand Rapids, in support of the renovation efforts. My painting depicts how the church will look when fully completed, freshly painted, a new roof and restored windows with all the original stained glass beauty fully in tact once more. At the time I lived only a few blocks away from the church. A couple of weeks ago, a Grand Rapids friend asked me how the project is coming…
Leisa Collins Featured on Go Solo
Hi all! I'm thrilled to have been asked to do an interview with Go Solo by Subkit. They produce terrific articles and I was honored to make an appearance on their site a couple days ago. The piece is called, "Architectural Art is My Artistic Passion - Leisa Collins." I've included an excerpt below. You can read the entire article at https://gosolo.subkit.com/leisa-collins-art/ Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in fine arts but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Leisa Collins, founder of Leisa Collins Art, located in St. Louis, MO, USA. What's your business, and who are your customers? I specialize in architectural art and have created portraits of historic homes and buildings in every state across the country. I am passionate about saving…