Category: New Art

Historic Arts and Crafts Buildings in the USA Three of the "founding fathers" of the Arts and Crafts movement in America, whose impact is still widely felt today are the Greene and Green Brothers in California,  Elbert Hubbard and Gustav Stickley. Over the last year or so my husband and I have visited three famous historic locations and here are my first paintings depicting them! Anyone who lives in the Pasadena area will recognize this famous structure, the Gamble House, which was a closely supervised project of the  architect brothers, Charles and Henry Greene. Elbert Hubbard's Roycroft Campus in East Aurora, New York The home of Gustav Stickley in New Jersey, now a historic site and museum in his honor. Here is some information about these amazing characters. Charles and…

South Pasadena Historic District - Capturing the Magic in Pen and Watercolor! I love living and having my studio in South Pasadena!  It's got that wonderful small town charm while being right in the heart of Greater Los Angeles.  South Pasadena was incorporated as it's own city in 1888.  With it boutique stores and interesting restaurants and cafes, the historic district of South Pasadena is a big draw for visitors and locals alike.  I have tried to capture that special So Pas feel in this series of paintings. (For those interested in history, below the paintings is a write up about this, mainly taken from the South Pasadena City website.) [caption id="attachment_28115" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Meridian Iron Works in South Pasadena CA[/caption] [caption id="attachment_28114" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Busters Cafe, South Pasadena CA[/caption]…

Art Show at Kaldi's Cafe, South Pasadena This is where it is happening, this Sunday, February 9, between 1 - 4pm. Kaldi's Cafe is right in the heart of the historic district of South Pasadena.  The building that is now home to Kaldi's was one of the earliest banks in the area. [caption id="attachment_28112" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Kaldi Cafe in South Pasadena CA[/caption] I will have originals of my South Pasadena series and high quality (Giclee) prints on display as well as some other work. Feel free to stop by for coffee and enjoy that special Kaldi ambiance.  Plus it will be great to see you! Cheers, Leisa

Landscape Painting of South Pasadena Scene I was recently commissioned to paint this scene from an amazing photo that a client of mine took looking up Fair Oaks Avenue in South Pasadena. You can see the intersection of Rollin Street and Fair Oaks Avenue in the foreground.  This photo was taken a couple of years ago after a cold snap which whitened the San Gabriel Mountains that loom up in the distance. The painting was a lot of fun.  It is a large one - 30 x 40 inches - that now hangs in a beautiful enclosed patio in South Pasadena.   It was a nice change creating a big acrylic painting and I intend to do more.  As much as I love doing architectural paintings and capturing homes in pen…

Historic Preservation Lives on Main Street, S0uth Pasadena The thing I love about South Pasadena is that it has always maintained a Small Town Atmosphere. By Southern California standards, South Pasadena’s 2010 estimated population of 24,904 qualifies it as a small town. The city’s boundaries have changed very little since its incorporation and today it encompasses approximately 3.4 square miles. The Mission and Meridian Street crossing -- which can be seen in my painting below, is where the Gold Line metro station pass through. With its historically preserved old buildings it is truly a town where the old fashioned Main street still exists. Please enjoy the first two paintings in my Historic South Pasadena Street Scene series! [caption id="attachment_28115" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Old Meridian Iron Works in South Pasadena CA[/caption] Another…