Alameda CA – Where Victorian Home Portrait Subjects Abound!

Alameda CA – Where Victorian Home Portrait Subjects Abound!

House Portraits
Some of my Painted Ladies of Alameda, CA  Alameda, in the Bay Area of California is famous for its Victorian houses and there is a beautiful array of painted ladies of all different sizes and styles. In fact 9% of all single-family houses (1500 in total) in Alameda are Victorian, and many more have been divided into two to four-unit dwellings.   It is said that Alameda has more pre-1906 earthquake era homes in the Gold Coast section than any other city in the Bay Area. Being that I love painting Victorian home I have had lots of fun with my Alameda series. I have now painted 25 homes and here are some of my favorites.   [caption id="attachment_6815" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Paru St, Alameda Victorian[/caption]   [caption id="attachment_6816" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Grand…
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DC House Portraits in the Spring!

DC House Portraits in the Spring!

House Portraits
Happy Spring! Newsflash!  My architectural work to capture the unique homes of the Washington DC area on my canvas was featured in DC in Design, a popular blog for this region. I thought I would brighten your day with lovely spring colors and give you a mini-exhibition of some of my favorite DC homes in the Spring.  Please enjoy! Cheers, Leisa
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Winter Home Watercolors

Winter Home Watercolors

House Portraits
Magical homes in the snow As the cold winter months linger on we often find ourselves yearning for warmer weather, however artistically these frosty days provide a soft beauty and tranquility that can not be matched in any other season. I thought you might enjoy a little tour of some charming winter subjects, but with a difference. In each case these snowy portraits are one of a seasonal pair, showing the contrast between winter and summer, spring and fall.   Lansing, MI - Winter Lansing, MI - Summer    Alexandria, VA - Winter    Alexandria, VA - Spring     Wellesley, MA - Winter    Wellesley, MA - Fall    Georgetown, Washington DC - Winter   Georgetown, Washington DC - Summer    For those living in colder clients, consider having me create a winter…
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An original hand-crafted House Portrait – the perfect gift!

An original hand-crafted House Portrait – the perfect gift!

House Portraits, News
It's not too late for you to place an order for Christmas! There is no more personal gift than a hand-crafted one of a kind original house portrait that captures your "labor of love" and its treasured family memories. I find joy in tackling every architectural type and season and over the years I have created portraits of homes and historic buildings in 43 states across the USA.   You can view a further array of architectural styles in my website portrait galleries. Prices vary depending on size and framing.  CONTACT ME NOW FOR DETAILS Cheers, Leisa
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Architectural paintings of Historic Brooklyn, NY

Architectural paintings of Historic Brooklyn, NY

House Portraits
Some of the first of my Brooklyn Home Portrait Watercolor Series Over the years I have spent a lot of time in New York City and there is nothing more enjoyable than strolling through beautiful Brooklyn.  It's tree-lined streets are steeped in history and  interesting architectural treasures can be found around every corner.   Hicks Street is a favorite of mine.  I thought it was time to share some of my Brooklyn home paintings with you. [caption id="attachment_6539" align="aligncenter" width="550"] Pure architectural elegance on the corner of Grace Court and Hicks Street, Brooklyn, New York[/caption] [caption id="attachment_6541" align="aligncenter" width="419"] Fourth Street, Brooklyn[/caption] [caption id="attachment_6540" align="aligncenter" width="426"] Classic row house on Hicks Street, Brooklyn with a Carriage House to the right .[/caption] [caption id="attachment_6542" align="aligncenter" width="550"] Argle Rd, Brooklyn[/caption] You can…
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My First Canadian House Portrait Commission!

My First Canadian House Portrait Commission!

House Portraits
Victorian Farm House on Prince Edward Island, Canada You can imagine my delight when one of my clients from Monrovia, California, asked if I would create a painting of the family farm situated on Prince Edward Island where she grew up.  She told me that she planned to hang it alongside her own lovely Craftsman family home  where in turn she and her husband raised their children. This was the one photo I had to work from but it gave me the detail I needed. [caption id="attachment_6519" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Victorian Family Home on Prince Edward Island, Canada[/caption] And here is the final pen and watercolor painting of this lovely family home. [caption id="attachment_6520" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Pen and watercolor of family home on Prince Edward Island, Canada[/caption] Despite the difference in…
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Summer Garden Tour Across the USA

Summer Garden Tour Across the USA

House Portraits
Sizzling summer garden color to beautify your home. . . There is nothing more wonderful than summer. The heat, vacations, the plant growth and most of all the COLOR! I make a point of including all the color and warmth I see when I create my portraits of homes.  I thought you might enjoy a tour of some of my summer homes across the USA.  No matter the architectural style, whether the home is old or new or historic or modern, garden color adds so much life and vibrance! Take a look and see for yourself!  I'm starting on the west coast and travelling east. [caption id="attachment_6290" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Burbank, CA[/caption] [caption id="attachment_6294" align="aligncenter" width="600"] La Jolla, CA[/caption] [caption id="attachment_6295" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Monrovia, CA[/caption] [caption id="attachment_6297" align="aligncenter" width="600"] San Marino, CA[/caption]…
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Constructing Art Inspiring Homes!

Constructing Art Inspiring Homes!

House Portraits
MCR Construction – the dream builders . . . I was lucky enough to meet Mark and Lori Rolph, the owners of this amazing and creative design and construction company through  -- you guessed it – their home!  Situated on a quiet residential street in Burbank, CA, I was lured by its uniqueness and charm – a mix between a French chateau and a fairyland gingerbread house that one might expect to find in the middle of the Black Forest.  I immediately decided to add this to my Burbank House Portrait series. [caption id="attachment_6277" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Verdugo Ave, Burbank[/caption] Shortly after its completion Mark and Lori came to my studio and then invited me for a tour of their home.  They also shared its history and some before and after…
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San Francisco House Portrait Series

San Francisco House Portrait Series

House Portraits
My San Francisco architectural series debut! Over the years I have always enjoyed my time in San Francisco. What an architectural feast!  For one thing it is a Sister City to my hometown of Auckland, New Zealand, so that's a big plus.  Like Auckland a bridge spans across the city and harbor views, glistening water and flaming sunsets abound.  Both cities are very hilly which makes for interesting architecture, with tall elegant Victorian homes jutting out from narrow sloping streets. As always, I have chosen an eclectic mix of homes, and not only historic. SF's modern architecture is also very interesting. I am in progress on many more subjects but wanted to share some of my first homes with you. [caption id="attachment_6272" align="aligncenter" width="500"] Steiner St, San Francisco[/caption] [caption id="attachment_6255"…
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House Portraits — Front and Back!

House Portraits — Front and Back!

House Portraits
We see homes from the front all the time . . . but what do they look like from the back? The owners of these house portrait subjects are clients of mine who commissioned me to create pen and waters that depict both the front and back views of their homes so they are able to represent their home as a pair rather than just one lonely painting. This first one is in Arcadia, California. It was an nondescript one story ranch home when the owners purchased it a couple of decades ago. [caption id="attachment_6111" align="aligncenter" width="738"] South Santa Anita Ave, Arcadia CA[/caption] [caption id="attachment_6112" align="aligncenter" width="738"] The back of the home with large open windows and doors.[/caption] This elegant colonial home is in Los Angeles. [caption id="attachment_6110" align="aligncenter" width="755"]…
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