News Archives

08Aug 2022 by Leisa

Announcing my Latest Historic Preservation Award!

Leisa Collins Historic Preservation Award, News

The award goes to Friends of Turner Dodge House in Lansing Michigan! I presented an original painting of this stunning example of Classical Revival architecture to Friends of Turner Dodge House for their work to restore and maintain the Turner Dodge House and Heritage Center last Friday, August 5th. The event, co-hosted by Opportunity Arts and Lansing Parks & Recreation Department, was held inside the Turner Dodge House and attended by a gathering of friends and community supporters. Registered on the National Historic Register, this beautifully restored home was built in 1858 by James and Marion Turner, who helped establish Michigan's Capital City. In the early 2000s the home was restored to the turn-of-the-19th-century period and is now maintained by the City of Lansing Parks and Recreation Department as a Cultural…

26Jul 2022 by Leisa

Update: Historic Grand Rapids Church Transforming into Art Center

Historic Perservation, Historic Preservation, News

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…

20Jul 2022 by Leisa

Leisa Collins Featured on Go Solo

Media, News

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…

14Jul 2022 by Leisa

My Iconic Architecture Series of New York City!

New Art, News

Of all the cities in the USA, I have more iconic paintings of New York architecture than any other location. That’s not too surprising when you consider that there are probably more recognizable American icons in NYC than any other city and famous landmarks such as the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty and the Brooklyn Bridge immediately come to mind. In this article I include my six New York City iconic paintings! History of New York City But first a little history of this great city. It was given its name in 1664 when the British seized New Amsterdam from the Dutch. The population of New York City grew larger and more diverse over the next century and by the 1800s New York was one of the nation’s most…

30Jun 2022 by Leisa

An Artistic Celebration of the United States

Historic Perservation, News

When I set the goal for myself of painting homes in all 50 states, it was like a love letter to my adopted country. As many of you know, I am a native of New Zealand, but when I visited the United States, I felt completely at home and fell in love with the people, the geography, history and its architecture. I hope you enjoy this video which shows my journey through America and all the effort and commitment it took to fulfill my mission! [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FYwdawUE9o[/embed] If you would like to learn more about my 50 States project, you may be interested in my book, Hand Painted Homes: An Artist's Pen & Watercolor Journey Across America, available on my website and Amazon (links below). Hope you all have a very…

21Jun 2022 by Leisa

Celebrating Summer and Getting Out and About

New Art, News

Summer Scenes with House Portrait Backdrops. For those of us on the east coast, the warmer weather and longer summer days are truly a blessing. These paintings are a celebration of summer and getting out and about. They include simple, enjoyable, every-day activities that we should never take for granted. From kids playing in the streets, to walking the dog and an inquisitive boy checking out a free little library. All have architectural backdrops that represent life and people in the city -- weather in urban areas or quiet suburbs. [caption id="attachment_17352" align="aligncenter" width="2048"] Kids playing in Alexandria, VA[/caption] [caption id="attachment_17353" align="aligncenter" width="1724"] Ball game in Philadelphia, PA[/caption] [caption id="attachment_17356" align="aligncenter" width="1717"] Phone conversation in Brooklyn, NY[/caption] [caption id="attachment_17359" align="aligncenter" width="2048"] Surprise flowers in Washington, DC[/caption] [caption id="attachment_17358" align="aligncenter" width="2048"] Walking…

14Jun 2022 by Leisa

Hot off the Easel: Vibrant Community Series Old Town Lansing, Michigan

Historic Perservation, New Art, News

My brand new technique to show off lively historic communities. These are the first three paintings in this series where I am exploring new techniques and mediums. Old Town Lansing, Michigan, and its artsy historic vibe, inspired me to explore its interesting urban vistas and along the way I discovered some enticing nooks and crannies. Introduction to Old Town Lansing: Lansing, the capital city of Michigan, was incorporated in 1859 and the city was formerly a major center of the automobile industry. The historic homes and neighborhoods around the city tell the story of its rich past. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Old Town Lansing is located in the northern end of Lansing. It overlooks the Grand River and a winding walking and biking trail. The district was established in the mid-19th…

24May 2022 by Leisa

Celebrating Victorian Era Architecture

Historic Perservation, House Portraits, News

Happy Birthday Queen Victoria! Today we celebrate the birthday of Queen Victoria, who was born on May 24, 1819. She became queen at the tender age of 18 and gave the Victorian era its name. During her six-decade rule she was responsible for the creation of the British Empire, becoming one of Britain’s most famous monarchs. Description of Victorian Architecture Victorian architecture is an over-riding term that describes the many ornate architectural styles that came into being during Queen Victoria’s reign from 1837 to 1901. Likewise, the Victorian era of architecture includes several different styles, including Gothic Revival, Greek Revival, Shingle, Second Empire, Folk Victorian, Romanesque Revival, Queen Anne and Italianate style. The Victorian era is marked with decorative details and ornamentation, rejecting the practical simplicity of previous architectural eras.…

17May 2022 by Leisa

Architectural paintings of homes – Before & After

House Portraits, News

Some of my most challenging watercolor house portraits . . . I'm making a plug for all artists who like me, make their living from ORIGINAL hand-crafted one of a kind art. Yes I am talking about the "old-school" way of doing things where only ONE painting was created of a subject, brought about by the skilled hands of artists and crafts-people alike. People today often talk about simply "photo-shopping" things away, or creating "digitally-modified" art. My view is that while this is the "easy" way to do things, there is too much reliance on this route. Here one good reason why. Have a look at this stunning Queen Anne home in Alameda CA which I recently completed. It was built in the 1870's and has been in the family…

01May 2022 by Leisa

House Portrait of a Denver Ranch Home

House Portraits, News, Repurposed Homes

Transformation of a Denver home - inside and out! I had pretty well wrapped up my series of portraits of Denver homes but decided to review the collection one more time. There were Victorians, Tudors, lots of Craftsman, Colonial Revivals, Spanish Revivals, Cape Cod, Dutch Renaissance a few tasteful contemporary homes. . . then it stuck me, there was no Ranch style home! And yet, Denver, like all bigger cities across the USA, has an abundance of this practical, family oriented home. Ranch homes sometimes get dismissed as common cookie cutter homes you would expect in equally bland suburbs. But this is absolutely not the case if you look a little closer. Ranch homes can not only be stylishly stunning, but very welcoming too. Especially if the right owner comes…