Be my Valentine House Portrait!
Happy Valentine's Day! This moment was captured on a gorgeous spring day in the Capitol Hill historic district in Washington DC. Here's to a happy Valentine's Day, filled love and laughter! Leisa
Columbus Ohio House Portrait – a lovingly maintained historic home
Columbus, a preservation conscious city Over the last 10 years, I have travelled to every state in the USA and as I now embark on my new series of paintings of Columbus homes, I am finding a wonderful mix of architectural styles. From welcoming Craftsmen homes, to Victorians and Queen Anns, to elegant Tudors, Colonial Revivals, Italianate styles, Ranch homes and more, Columbus has it all! I am also seeing a general trend in the city where there is an increased awareness regards the need to preserve and protect older homes and buildings. My own experience regarding historic preservation, after traveling 50,000 miles across the USA, is that it is the homeowner who is the unsung hero in terms of investing their time, efforts and finance into lovingly restoring and…
The Beauty of a Winter House Portrait
Snowy magic in Illinois and a welcoming home in watercolor [caption id="attachment_14914" align="aligncenter" width="3714"] Home in the snow in Inverness, IL[/caption] Living in Michigan as I am currently, I sometimes curse the lack of mobility that winter brings. The snow ploys, salt, having to pry ice off the care, snow shoveling and not to mention the arctic temperatures! As an artist I remind myself that winter is actually a beautiful aesthetic time of year. Snow is a like a blanket of white magic that descends on us, quietly and peacefully. It covers ugliness and even the most dilapidated homes can look lovely, especially with warm light in the windows. Winter is your chance to wear your favorite sweaters and hat and scarf sets. It a time for cosy fires and…
Completion of my Historic Chicago House Portrait Series!
Chicago Architecture is one of a kind! I am proud to display these paintings of my Chicago Historic House Portrait Collection. It is a well known fact that the architecture of Chicago has influenced and reflected upon the history of American architecture. Chicago's imaginative architecture displays the city's fascinating history and its multicultural heritage. It features a variety of styles designed by many prominent architects. Sadly, in the downtown area, most structures were destroyed by the Great Chicago Fire in 1871 (the most famous exception being the Water Tower), therefore Chicago buildings are mainly noted for their originality. My series of paintings goes beyond the downtown area and its towering skyscrapers. I wandered through the vibrant neighborhoods and drove down leafy residential streets and soon discovered why Chicago uniqueness is…
Completion of One Hundred Historic Homes of Portland Series!
Portland Craftsman Homes, Bungalows, Tudors, Colonials, Cape Cod, Victorians and more form my Portland House Portrait collection. I have always enjoyed spending time in Portland. It's reputation of being quirky, cool, weird and green all at the same time, makes life very interesting. Its architecture follows the same mold. One of first things I noticed about the city as we ambled through it's unique neighborhoods -- stopping for coffee far too often -- is the number of solar panels on homes. And not just new homes, historic ones as well. That is always a good sign. I learned that Portland is a leader in the green movement, incorporating this trend into its urban planning over a decade ago. I discovered a feast of architectural styles and well preserved and maintained…
Summer is gliding away. . . but custom summer house portraits last for ever
Looking back on my favorite summer home portraits and gardens In the words of American Poet, Sarah Helen Whitman: "When summer gathers up her robes of glory, and, like a dream, glides away." I hope you all have had a wonderful summer and have enjoyed the magic of this time of warmth and color and growth. And while the season may now be disappearing, the good news is that art lives on! As do these portraits of an array of gorgeous homes and gardens in various parts of the country. Please enjoy this short selection of summer homes and gardens, starting with this delightful Portland bungalow -- first from the front, but you will not believe what the back looks like! (Keep scrolling...) [caption id="attachment_12787" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Portland…
Father’s Day House Portrait Special!
In celebration of all Dads everywhere, I am offering a 15% discount for any original house portrait commission this Father's Day! This is a big thank you to the man of the house and to all my friends and clients who have renovated, painted and maintained their homes over the years, keeping them beautiful and art inspiring! I also provide beautiful Father's Day Gift Certificates -- customized if desired -- which can be presented on this special day. Here are but a few paintings of homes of fathers and clients who I happen to know have put a lot of time and creativity to make their homes both practical and enjoyable for their families. Ranch home in Arcadia, California Cottage in Rockville, Maryland Italianate home in Alameda, California Tudor in Burbank, California…
Spring House Portrait Tour Across the USA!
Spring may look different is various parts of the country . . . but it always warm one's heart There's something special about spring! After those long cold dreary days, the sun bursts forth, new buds grow and vibrant colors come to view. It's finally safe to go outside, have a picnic and revel in this wonderful time of the year. Being that I have lived all over the USA and travelled to every corner, I can appreciate the different forms of spring in every region. I often hear people say that Florida, Southern California, New Mexico and even parts of Texas don't really experience spring. Not so. It is just a matter of looking... Allow me to take you on a meandering spring house portrait tour across the USA…
House Portraits in Vibrant Tampa FL neighborhoods
Announcing Completion of my Tampa House Portrait Series Craftsman, Bungalow, Tudors, Ranches and tasteful new builds... Tampa has it all! What a diverse architectural experience Tampa has proven to be! I had no idea of the number of interesting architectural gems that were hidden in the city;s leafy tree-lined streets and historic urban avenues. I started my Tampa house portrait series two years ago and feel I now have a eclectic and interesting mix of architectural styles in my collection. I will be including my favorites in the Tampa section of my coffee table book that will be released later this year. In the meantime I wanted to show off this lovely array of homes that depict the best of Tampa and show the pride and care that Tampa residents,…
Completion of my East Grand Rapids MI House Portrait Collection!
Craftsman style, Victorians, Tudors and Dutch Colonial Home Portraits of East Grand Rapids. I come to Michigan often, being that my husband of 30 years hails from Lansing Michigan. The lakes and rivers and lush green countryside remind me of my homeland of New Zealand. One of our favorite Michigan cities is Grand Rapids. It has a fascinating history, starting with its Native American roots and fur trading past. Not to mention how it grew to be one of the greatest furniture making cities, and still retains that status today. Heritage Hill is the oldest part of the city and is the largest urban historic district in the country. I love the Victorian grandeur of this area and am currently in the process of selecting my favorite homes in order…