18Nov 2024 by Leisa
Unique merchandise, only for my house portrait clients!

Unique merchandise, only for my house portrait clients!

News
First, I want to thank all my clients for your support of my original art. I consider it an honor to create paintings of beautiful and unique homes, and am proud to have the portrait of your home as part of my USA collection. As you know, I keep a library of high-resolution images of my paintings, should anyone request prints be made of their original house portrait. In addition to the prints you can order at any time, I am so excited to share with you a service I offer my clients. I am able to create images of your house portrait on a variety of mediums such as: Ornaments Tote bags Jigsaw puzzles T-shirts Magnets And more! You can also opt to have a print made of your original house portrait. I offer…
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06Nov 2024 by Leisa
Watercolor House Portraits Celebrating Fall

Watercolor House Portraits Celebrating Fall

House Portraits, News
Vibrant fall custom house portraits It is now officially fall, and while we hate to say goodbye to summer, there is so much magic to be found in Fall!  House  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_36894" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Vibrant fall house portrait in Glencoe IL[/caption]   [caption…
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23Oct 2024 by Leisa
Inspiring Iconic American Architecture: The Brooklyn Bridge

Inspiring Iconic American Architecture: The Brooklyn Bridge

New Art, News
Once a month, I will focus on an iconic example of American architecture that has inspired me over the years. During a very recent trip to New York City, I was able to revisit one of my favorite spots in the country: the Brooklyn Bridge. It is a breathtaking blend of architecture, engineering, and history. Brooklyn Bridge, New York City About the Brooklyn Bridge The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the most recognizable marvels of American engineering and is iconic worldwide. The bridge (opened in 1883) spans the distance between Manhattan and Brooklyn over the East River. The bridge’s suspension towers were built in the Gothic Revival style. They’re 278 feet tall and built from granite, limestone and cement. One of my favorite things to do when I’m in the…
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15Oct 2024 by Leisa
Family Homes turned into Original House Portraits to preserve those special memories . . .

Family Homes turned into Original House Portraits to preserve those special memories . . .

House Portraits, News
I hate to turn away a person who needs my help in capturing their family home and all those treasured memories. No matter how insurmountable the task is, my goal is to memorialize the house the way it looked when they, their siblings, or parents grew up there. A house portrait will be in the family for generations, so it's important to me to honor the true spirit of that special home. The circumstances are always different, but in many cases the home has now been sold to new owners and no longer looks anything like it did in the past. Or worse, the home, with all its happy family memories hidden within it walls, has been torn down with no trace. Often, the only existing photos are faded and…
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07Oct 2024 by Leisa
My most challenging house portraits . . . only possible with original hand-crafted art

My most challenging house portraits . . . only possible with original hand-crafted art

House Portraits, News
For over a decade, I’ve received requests for custom, hand-crafted, watercolor house portraits from across the USA. Some prospective clients are concerned that their home has too many obstacles that would deter me — like problematic landscaping, street construction, less-than-ideal weather, visible power lines, neighbors’ homes, etc. I assure them that I don’t let these stand in my way in depicting the home’s best view! While certain obstacles may keep you from taking the perfect photo of your house, that won’t stop me from painting a lovely portrait of your home. Take a look at this video and you will get the idea... Impossible portraits are only possible with hand-crafted original paintings What do I mean by this bold statement? Try changing a season, removing unsightly cars and make a generally…
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06Aug 2024 by Leisa
How I Choose My House Portrait Subjects: 12 traits that make a home art inspiring!

How I Choose My House Portrait Subjects: 12 traits that make a home art inspiring!

House Portraits, News
As an artist, I am lucky to receive new commission requests for house portraits every week. However, I also choose my own subjects. Sometimes I make my choices based on a series I'm creating about a specific architectural style (ie. Tudor Homes or Victorians) or an individual city or town (ie. San Francisco, CA or Clayton, MO). The owners of these selected homes often ask how I came to choose their house. I thought about what inspires me to select an architectural subject for one of my paintings. I've come up with twelve "art inspiring" traits depicted in many of my favorite portraits. How many art inspiring traits does your home have? The home is obviously loved. It’s well maintained and often has unique and intriguing features attached to the…
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04Jul 2024 by Leisa
Happy Independence Day!

Happy Independence Day!

News
Announcing My American Heart Collection The 4th of July commemorates the day the Declaration of Independence was ratified by the Second Continental Congress in 1776. It was on this day, 248 years ago, that the original 13 colonies separated from Great Britain and became a new nation. I couldn’t think of a better day to announce my latest series, which I have proudly named: My American Heart. This new collection celebrates the spirit of America. [caption id="attachment_43314" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Independence Day at the Farm[/caption] While I will always cherish my New Zealand roots, the United States is where I have spent the last four decades. I will always be grateful for the opportunities that this country has afforded me, as well as other entrepreneurs and freedom lovers. My coffee table book,…
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20Jun 2024 by Leisa
Announcing Summer House & Garden Portrait Competition!

Announcing Summer House & Garden Portrait Competition!

New Art, News
Happy Summer Solstice 2024! June 20th marked the first day of summer and it seemed like the perfect time to announce my first ever Summer House & Garden Portrait Competition 2024! The winner of this competition will receive a free Leisa Collins original pen & watercolor painting of your home, based on the photo that you provide. Here's how the competition works: * To enter, email me a good quality photo of your home AND summer garden. It does not have to be from this year! Along with a high quality photo, please provide your name, email and mobile number. You must send your photo by email only (not via DM on social media), to ensure the best quality. Send the photo to: leisa@leisacollins.com * Who can enter? Anyone can…
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10May 2024 by Leisa
Historic Preservation Award given in Ste. Genevieve Missouri

Historic Preservation Award given in Ste. Genevieve Missouri

Historic Perservation, News
Pen and watercolor painting presented in Ste. Genevieve. The setting was a warm and blustery Saturday in the quaint and peaceful city of St. Genevieve MO, which is home to the oldest structure in the state, the Bolduc-LeMeilleur House. I was honored to present my Historic Preservation Award to French Colonial American (FCA) for their dedicated historic preservation efforts in St. Genevieve, and in particular to the circa 1810 Gemien Beauvais Linden House. Not only did they fully restore the home, but they made it into a living history museum for the benefit of the entire community. The award, an original framed pen and water portrait, was presented to board member Tandy Thompson of FCA. Tandy and I then presented a copy of the painting to David Orthwine, who was…
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