For over a decade, I’ve received requests for custom, hand-crafted, watercolor house portraits from across the USA. Some prospective clients are concerned that their home has too many obstacles that would deter me — like problematic landscaping, street construction, less-than-ideal weather, visible power lines, neighbors’ homes, etc. I assure them that I don’t let these stand in my way in depicting the home’s best view!
While certain obstacles may keep you from taking the perfect photo of your house, that won’t stop me from painting a lovely portrait of your home. Take a look at this video and you will get the idea…
Impossible portraits are only possible with hand-crafted original paintings
What do I mean by this bold statement? Try changing a season, removing unsightly cars and make a generally bleak and obstructed view of a home into a beautiful pen and watercolor painting with a digital program or AI. And do it in a totally natural way — including all the the details and memories that make a house a special home.
In this fast-paced technology-driven society, there is a focus on finding the easiest and cheapest way to do things. Because of this, I feel it’s necessary to make my case for hand-crafted, one of a kind original art — art produced by a person skilled in the fine arts. After all, artists rely on intuition, spontaneous inspiration, and a deep understanding of their medium, enabling them to create unique work.
The before and after images below say it all!
#1: On the left, is the source photo that I used to create my painting. While I used the image to study the architectural detail, the image is frigid and unwelcoming. On the right, is the warm and welcoming final painting. Quite a difference!
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#2: My second argument for hand-painted house portraits, is all about personal connection. Those who own an original painting created by an artist, often know the artist’s story or the circumstances behind the artwork. This connection enhances the appreciation and emotional impact of the art piece.
Take this newly built contemporary home below that can be found in one of the numerous canyons on the outskirts of the city of Los Angeles. The home owners are living in this environment by choice. They want to escape an urban neighborhood, and at the same time be close to nature. However, if I were to include all the “nature” obscuring the house, one would not be able to appreciate the flair and beauty of architectural design of the home.
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#3: For me, cultural and historical context is very important. Again, that can only be shown with authenticity through the artist’s experience. In this case, I saw the architectural subject (below) as well as its classic New York City environment. Subjective cultural and historical influence shapes the work of the artist in unique and meaningful ways. It also can provide additional layers of interpretation and significance that are inherently tied to the artist’s background and experiences.
This example of a historic row house in New York City illustrates this perfectly:
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#4: Take this before-and-after pair of images of a home located in the Los Angeles area (below). Not only did I contend with an ugly telephone pole and unruly vine, but the attractive retaining wall in the front of the property is covered by concrete barriers due to ongoing city roadworks.
It takes innovation and imagination to turn this challenging view of the home into a lovely painting that shows the home at its best, with its redeeming features taking center stage. Only human contact by an artist can rectify these conditions, while at the same time changing the season so the summer flowers add further beauty of the home.
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#5: Sentient artists draw from their personal experiences, emotions, and worldviews, infusing their work with genuine emotional depth and authenticity. This was the case with this unique and historic Mediterranean style home nestled into the hills in Riverside County, California. When it comes to creating house portraits, it is certainly the personal touch and emotional depth that resonates deeply with the owner of the home, capturing happy memories of the home for them.
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#6: Having lived in Old Town Alexandria VA, I know that the street where this beautiful Federal style home is located, is virtually never free of cars. It takes creative intent and expression to remove these obstacles. Changing the season and adding fall foliage to the scene makes it come alive. This is only possible by the human hand of the artist, including my own intentions, desires, and a sense of purpose behind each painting I create, This sense of purpose and personal expression can lead to art that is rich with meaning and nuance, reflecting personal thoughts and feelings.
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I hope you have enjoyed my examples of turning impossible photos into a one-of-a-kind hand-crafted ORIGINAL house portraits, each with their own unique personality.
For those of you who are interested in giving the gift of original art this Christmas, please email me asap to book your spot and receive a 10% discount. Just make sure to mention that you’re interested in my Christmas promotion in the subject line of your email!
Remember I always love to hear from you and your feedback is much appreciated.
Cheers, Leisa
