Meet me in St. Louis … the house that was

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.…
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Update: Historic Grand Rapids Church Transforming into Art Center

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…
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House portraits in all 50 states – portraying the architectural legacy of the USA

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

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…
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Celebrating Victorian Era Architecture

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.…
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Announcing the First of my Industrial Architecture Painting Series

Announcing the First of my Industrial Architecture Painting Series

Historic Perservation, New Art, News
The Rugged Beauty of Industrial Architecture As I travel across the country -- whether through cities or out in the wilderness -- I am becoming increasingly aware of the remnants of America’s industrial architecture and have been inspired by the rugged beauty of their forms.  After all, at the root of this country’s progress over the last two centuries, were the factories built to produce needed goods – from the finest linens to firearms -- for a rapidly growing nation. I have just completed the first three paintings in this series. As you can see, the technique I use is a far cry from the fine detailed pen and watercolors of my signature house portraits, Iconic American Architecture series and more. This first pair of original paintings evolved from various…
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Painting of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello: Latest in my Iconic American Series

Painting of Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello: Latest in my Iconic American Series

Historic Perservation, New Art, News
Monticello, “Little Mountain,” was home to Thomas Jefferson from 1770 to 1826. It was also the architectural masterpiece of the author of the Declaration of Independence and third president of the United States. Renowned as one of America’s first and finest architects, Thomas Jefferson created, rebuilt, and revised the house throughout his long life.  The home reflects the personality of Jefferson, a Renaissance man and one of the Founding Fathers. [caption id="attachment_29299" align="aligncenter" width="2560"] Painting of Monticello, the latest in my Iconic American Architecture series[/caption] History of Monticello Jefferson began building Monticello in 1769 on the plantation that he inherited from his father.  Located it on top of a hill, the original eight-room main house was still incomplete in the 1780s.  Regardless, the sophistication of Jefferson’s design impressed European visitors. …
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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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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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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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