News Archives

14Feb 2023 by Leisa

The Despair of Abandoned Homes

Historic Perservation, House Portraits, New Art, News

Happy Valentine’s Day friends! It is no secret that I have a love affair with saving historic buildings. I consider them works of art and after all, architecture is about people. Our built history is created by people and it is people that give brick and mortar life. I moved to St. Louis seven months ago knowing that one of the biggest problems confronting this city is abandoned homes and buildings. And while the city and preservation advocates have worked diligently over the years to improve this situation, today out of a total of 129,500 properties, a whopping 25,000 are considered vacant and abandoned. As I drive around the city, it breaks my heart to see crumbling and discarded buildings, however their beauty and form can still be seen behind…

16Jan 2023 by Leisa

My Tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.

Historic Perservation, New Art, News

The birth home of a truly great American Last year, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr Day, I painted this portrait of the Atlanta, Georgia home where the great orator, Nobel Peace Prize winner, and leader of the American civil rights movement was born. I wanted to pay my respect and celebrate his life and legacy the best way I know how — with my paintbrush. Martin Luther King Jr. (originally named Michael Jr.) was born on the second floor of this clapboard Victorian house on January 15, 1929, and he lived there for the first twelve years of his life. His home was a happy one, and he once said, “I grew up in a family where love was central and where lovely relationships were ever present.” Located…

08Jan 2023 by Leisa

2022: Year in Review

New Art, News

Hello friends, Now that the whirl of the holiday season is over, I decided it was time to stop for a minute and reflect on achievements of 2022, before I become completely engulfed in the activities of 2023! My husband, Bruce, and I spent the first part of the year in Lansing, Michigan, helping Bruce's Mom, Crystal, who sadly passed away in early May. At 89 years of age, Crystal lived a happy and fulfilling life and most importantly she went on her own terms, without suffering and even won at the casino that very last day. She will always be an inspiration to me in terms of living life to the fullest. By August we were on our way to our next adventure and by September we had settled…

01Dec 2022 by Leisa

The Joy of Living in a Historic Neighborhood

Historic Perservation, Historic Preservation, New Art, News

Painting a local bookstore and cafe. Just two blocks away from our home, sitting right on the edge of Benton Park with a tranquil view of the lake from the outdoor patio, is Spine Bookstore and Café. [caption id="attachment_32691" align="aligncenter" width="1483"] The latest painting in my Benton Park neighborhood series, Spine Bookstore & Cafe[/caption] I has provided a nice walkable respite for me when I need a break – and a good coffee. One can often find the owner, Mark Pannebecker, behind the bar and he is always good for a yarn and a laugh. In the evenings, Spine offers open mic, live music, book readings and poetry and you can grab a beer, wine or one of their cocktail specials. In fact, Spine was voted Best Indy Bookstore…

09Nov 2022 by Leisa

New Home and Studio in St. Louis!

News

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…

26Oct 2022 by Leisa

Featuring a Historic Preservation Hero!

Historic Perservation, Historic Preservation, News

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…

26Sep 2022 by Leisa

Watercolor House Portraits Celebrating Autumn

House Portraits, News

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…

13Sep 2022 by Leisa

A Happy Ever After Story of a Home. . .

Historic Perservation, House Portraits, News

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…

29Aug 2022 by Leisa

Helping Artists Succeed!

News, The Flourishing Artist

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…

26Aug 2022 by Leisa

Meet me in St. Louis … the house that was

Historic Perservation, News

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.…