17May 2022 by Leisa
Architectural paintings of homes – Before & After

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…
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28Apr 2022 by Leisa
Unveiling my Denver House Portrait Collection

Unveiling my Denver House Portrait Collection

Coffee Table Book, House Portraits, News
The breathtaking beauty of Colorado From the Great Plains to the Rocky Mountains, Colorado is a land of vast geographic contrasts that attracts outdoor adventurers, wilderness lovers and winter sports enthusiasts. However, one can also find towering cities, monumental historic landmarks, charming small towns and windswept ghost towns.   I have always loved Colorado. With its soaring mountains and lakes it reminds me of my homeland of New Zealand.  I include a number of Colorado homes in my coffee table book Hand Painted Homes: An Artist's Pen and Watercolor Journey Across America  including this stunning log cabin home in Crested Butte in the Rocky Mountains.  Recently The Mountain Ear newspaper in Nederland, CO, featured a story about my book and my feelings about Colorado. [caption id="attachment_27648" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Log home in…
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12Apr 2022 by Leisa
Portrait of a unique home — named the most original in the USA

Portrait of a unique home — named the most original in the USA

House Portraits
Hidden desert home in Scottsdale Arizona As featured in House Beautiful, this unique home which was designed by architect Charles Johnson and built right into the surrounding granite boulders — in fact, they make up 60% of the structure. It’s currently on the market for around 4 million. The future owners will definitely be living as one with nature in this three-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bathroom house. The nine-acre property is full of interesting forms and natural accents thanks to its stucco walls, wood beams, and stone steps. And talk about unique curb appeal: An ancient petroglyph is carved into the exterior and helped the house get a place on the National Register of Historic Places. [caption id="attachment_5936" align="aligncenter" width="600"] The entrance of the home in Scottsdale AZ[/caption] Here is a mini tour…
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11Apr 2022 by Leisa
A dog rescued from death’s door, a forever home and a house portrait…

A dog rescued from death’s door, a forever home and a house portrait…

House Portraits
Once upon a time, when I lived in California,  I spotted a beautiful Spanish home on Bel Aire Drive in Glendale, California. . . I decided it had to be Glendale House Portrait series. When the painting was close to completion,  as is always my policy, I left a note for the owner of the home and asked if she would like to view the original painting.  Little did I know who lived in this home or their touching rags to riches story. [caption id="attachment_6081" align="aligncenter" width="608"] Toni Bua's home on Bel Aire Dr, Glendale, CA[/caption] Homeowner, Toni Bua, answered with a resounding, "YES!"  She told me how much she loved "Casa Bua", her forever home, and how she recently became the proud "Mom" of Miley,  a white Husky who was found…
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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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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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29Nov 2021 by Leisa
Traveling through Scenic West Virginia. . .

Traveling through Scenic West Virginia. . .

House Portraits, Leisa Collins Historic Preservation Award, News
The most abandoned state in the nation  . . .and the restoration of a 200-year-old stone home. West Virginia is one of the nation’s most scenic states, known for beautiful wooded mountains and dramatic falling rivers. The state is also known for Civil War action and coal mining. It is home to grand resorts, a Cass Gilbert designed capitol and gorgeous mansions built during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. West Virginia was originally part of the Virginia Colony established by England in 1606. In 1607 the first settlement of Jamestown was formed and pioneers arrived to make their home in eastern Virginia. West Virginia, however, remained the frontier for some time and West Virginians retain that resilient pioneer spirit today. Abandoned Buildings of West Virginia But despite its…
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11Nov 2021 by Leisa
Honoring our Veterans

Honoring our Veterans

House Portraits, News
Grateful to those who served. . . Today is Veterans Day and I would like to show my support for our troops through this painting. The yellow ribbons are to thank them for their service and to let them know we appreciate them. On this day we honor our veterans, who fought for our freedoms and risked their lives in doing so. Veterans Day pays tribute to all American veterans—living or deceased—but most importantly, it is a day to give thanks to living veterans who honorably served their country during war or peacetime. There are over 20 million veterans in this country. Sadly, many veterans get lost in “the system”, struggle to adapt to regular life or become homeless once they get back from their service. We should all strive…
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