10Apr 2022 by Leisa
First Paintings of Historic Homes in German Village, Columbus OH

First Paintings of Historic Homes in German Village, Columbus OH

Historic Perservation, House Portraits, News
A trip through Columbus Ohio is never complete for my husband and me until we stop in and visit the charming town of German Village. It a historic neighborhood, situated just south of the city's downtown.  As the name suggests, it was settled by a large number of German immigrants in the early-to-mid-19th century.  At one time these immigrants totaled close to a third of the city's entire population. I am now well into a series of house portraits depicting some of my favorite homes in the area, as part of a series of 50 paintings of homes and historic buildings I have now created within the greater Columbus area. The city of Columbus has a fascinating history, but in this article I am concentrating on the earliest residential area in the…
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21Mar 2022 by Leisa
Stunning House Portrait Subjects: 12 points that make a home art inspiring!

Stunning House Portrait Subjects: 12 points that make a home art inspiring!

House Portraits, News
How many art inspiring points does your home have? I am lucky enough to receive new commission requests for house portraits every week, however I like to chose my own subjects as well and create collections of portraits that architecturally depict specific geographic areas.  From time to time the owners of these selected homes have asked how I came to choose their house.  I started thinking about this recently. I figured there’d be about a handful of art inspiring elements, but once I got into it I came up with 12!   I have listed these below along with examples some of my favorite portraits from around the country that I feel reflect particularly well one of the 12 individual points. (Click on any of the portraits below to make them larger.) The…
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15Mar 2022 by Leisa
Painting of Hearst Castle! The Latest in my Iconic American Architecture Series

Painting of Hearst Castle! The Latest in my Iconic American Architecture Series

New Art, News
In 2019, Time Magazine included Hearst Castle on its list of the world's greatest places to visit, stating, "few places better capture the opulence of early-20th century California than Hearst Castle." I attempted to visit the castle many years ago when my mother was here in the USA for a visit. We drove for hours through heavy rain, only to find out when we got to the entrance gate there was no further tours that day due to the storm. That was disappointing, but least I have now had the chance to capture its magnificence in this painting, the latest in my Iconic American Architecture series. [caption id="attachment_28750" align="aligncenter" width="1440"] Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California[/caption] Often called La Casa Grand (“The Big House”), Hearst Castle is the crowning jewel…
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08Mar 2022 by Leisa
Unveiling of “Lost American Architecture: In Memoriam” Series

Unveiling of “Lost American Architecture: In Memoriam” Series

Historic Perservation, New Art, News
Lost but not forgotten architecture I am proud to unveil the first four multi-media pieces in my new collection, “Lost American Architecture: In Memoriam.” As the name suggests, they are depictions of stunningly beautiful buildings that came down long before their time. In each case their fate was sealed by a simple act of unprovoked aggression. They each fell to the ground in a cloud of dust, victims of the deadly wrecking ball. Today they are long forgotten memories, like weathered tombstone inscriptions in a graveyard of architectural destruction that spans a century and more. While nothing can bring these elegant art forms back to life, I created these paintings to honor their intricate craftsmanship and pay tribute to the men and women who designed and built them and those…
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02Mar 2022 by Leisa
New Art! Biltmore Estate painting

New Art! Biltmore Estate painting

New Art, News
The latest in my Iconic America Architecture series! [caption id="attachment_28470" align="aligncenter" width="2179"] Leisa Collins painting of Biltmore Estate[/caption] The elegant Biltmore Estate is America’s largest home. This French Renaissance castle and grounds by Asheville, North Carolina and the Blue Ridge Mountains is truly an architectural jewel. The French Chateau-style mansion was built as a grand retreat for George W. Vanderbilt III between 1889 and 1895. The 8,000-acre estate is home to forested trails and beautiful gardens. Visiting the Biltmore is an experience like none other. It includes the most-visited winery in the nation and there is shopping, dining as well as luxury accommodations. The home features 250 rooms, including 35 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms and 65 fireplaces! George Vanderbilt brought in the father of American landscape architecture, Fredrick Law Olmsted, to…
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27Feb 2022 by Leisa
Homes of Washington, D.C. – House Portrait Collection

Homes of Washington, D.C. – House Portrait Collection

House Portraits, News
House Portrait Collection of Georgetown in Washington, D.C.! The District of Columbia is one of the most historic area in all of the United States. The city abounds with Neoclassical buildings and monuments and along with Roman, Egyptian and Greek inspired architecture. Today we'll be taking a walk through the streets of Georgetown, Capital Hill Neighborhood and many other nooks of this historically abundant city. To quote an excerpt from my new book, "Hand Painted Homes": "Behind the monuments and stately institutions of Washington, D.C., there is a wealth of history in the architectural style of every home in and around the city. Having resided just a few miles south of the D.C. area, I enjoyed exploring the historic heritage of the city and building my collection of paintings representing…
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15Feb 2022 by Leisa
Saving Victorian-Era Carriage Barns and Carriage Houses

Saving Victorian-Era Carriage Barns and Carriage Houses

Historic Perservation, News
The trend to save these delightful relics What is a Carriage Barn? A carriage barn (also called a carriage house) is a building constructed near a larger home to store horse-drawn carriages. They   sometimes housed the coachman or caretaker on the upper floor.  Today there is a growing trend to repurpose these buildings into small second homes, garage apartments or guest houses [caption id="attachment_27940" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Chamberlin Carriage House in Hartford, Connecticut built in 1871[/caption] Carriage House Origins: Carriage houses came about in the era of the horse-drawn carriage in Great Britain.  Owning a horse-drawn carriage in the 1700s was a status symbol for wealthy families and they built carriage houses close to the house along with the necessary gear and operators. Homes that were built in the country…
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07Feb 2022 by Leisa
Demise of a Victorian Era Masterpiece – the Detroit Old City Hall

Demise of a Victorian Era Masterpiece – the Detroit Old City Hall

Historic Perservation, News
In Memoriam... the first of my Lost American Architecture Series It's hard to fathom that this beautifully crafted Italian Renaissance Revival masterpiece that was built in the Victorian era and took ten years to construct, is now lost forever. Built to last in Amherst sandstone, the Detroit City Hall, in the state of Michigan, was the center of life in Detroit for almost 100 years. In fact I am currently putting the finishing touching on a painting that tells this very story. Paintings of other tragic architectural losses will follow, but this will be the first in my In Memoriam: Lost American Architecture series. The fate of this building that hosted eight presidents (Cleveland, McKinley, Taft, Wilson, Hoover, both Roosevelts and Truman) was sealed in 1961, when it became yet…
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02Feb 2022 by Leisa
The Alamo: my latest Iconic American Architecture painting!

The Alamo: my latest Iconic American Architecture painting!

New Art, News
To those who gave their lives for freedom . . . I am honored to tell the story of the Battle of the Alamo with my pen and paint brush. My painting depicts the Alamo as it stands today, battle scarred and worn by the elements, with the Texan flag proudly flying. [caption id="attachment_27831" align="aligncenter" width="640"] The Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, as it stands today with the Texas flag proudly flying[/caption] Today the Alamo serves as a symbol of freedom and a shrine to those who gave their lives to the cause. It is also an enduring symbol of Texans resistance to oppression and their struggle for independence, which they won shortly after. The famous saying, “Remember the Alamo!” was often heard in further battles that helped shape the…
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12Jan 2022 by Leisa
Latest Iconic American Architecture Painting ….Brooklyn Bridge NYC!

Latest Iconic American Architecture Painting ….Brooklyn Bridge NYC!

New Art, News
New work unveiling! Here's “Brooklyn Bridge, NYC”!  It’s part of my growing Iconic USA collection which includes paintings and multi-media pieces I’ve created celebrating some of my favorite examples of historic American architecture. [caption id="attachment_27805" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Brooklyn Bridge, New York City[/caption]   This new piece is pen & watercolor on paper, 9 x 11.” The original painting is available for sale and I will soon make prints and art gifts available on my website. The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the most recognizable marvels of American engineering and it’s an iconic sight for those in New York City. 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…
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