By Will. Ingram
National architectural artist Leisa Collins has completed a series of original paintings of historic San Antonio homes to show the “unique beauty of these older homes and increase awareness of the need to protect and preserve them.”
Her San Antonio series, which is now available for viewing on her blog, (link below) covers an eclectic mix of thirty art-inspiring homes from fifteen different architectural styles: San Antonio Craftsman Homes, Spanish, Italianate, Ranch Style, Tudor, Colonial and more. The series spans her favorite San Antonio neighborhoods, including Alamo Heights, King William Historic District, Terrell Hills, Olmos Park, Woodlands of Camino Real and Monticello Park.
Collins intends to include a number of these portraits in the San Antonio section of a coffee table book she is currently working on, which will feature her pen and watercolor homes and historic buildings in every state across the USA.
She feels that the book and her portrait work is a way to bring to public attention her complaint against the widespread trend of historic teardowns throughout the nation. “Besides showing the breath of beautiful historic homes across the USA, my book will serve as a historic record of homes that could disappear before we know it,” she said. “A number of homes I have painted in various parts of the country are no longer standing and none of them 
were lemons or dilapidated wrecks. The bottom line is, it’s all about the mighty dollar.” Collins believes the way it is and the way it could be, is dependent on the extraordinary efforts of people and communities. The neighborhood heroes, who find value in preserving historic architectural treasures and come together to make things happen.
In early 2013, Leisa decided to give back to people in the community who bring historic structures back to life by instituting the Leisa Collins Historic Preservation Award. (http://leisacollins.com/the-artist/leisa-collins-historic-preservation-award/) The award is presented as an original painting of the restored subject, and recognizes deserving individuals around the country who have set a stellar example of historic preservation through their efforts, skills or craftsmanship.
Collins, who has helped San Antonio historic preservation groups raise awareness has made an offer to create an original painting of any historic home that is unnecessarily on “death row” and scheduled for demolition. By doing this she hopes to inspire others to support the conservation of this disappearing architecture nationwide, while also honoring the home’s creation as the masterpiece it was,
from one art to another.
To see the Leisa Collins San Antonio Historic House Portrait Series:
The majority of these original San Antonio paintings now hang inside the homes of their owners for all to enjoy. While Collins enjoys selecting her own home subjects, she regularly works on commissioned portraits of homes around the country.
Visit the Leisa Collins Art website (www.leisacollins.com) and view her galleries of architectural styles around the country, including a video giving an architectural tour of home paintings in all 50 states. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FYwdawUE9o
About the artist, Leisa Collins
A native of New Zealand, Leisa has always had a fascination with architecture. As a teenager she first began drawing and painting local historic homes in her hometown of Auckland. She then became involved in the non-profit world which for the next three decades took her to all four corners of the globe, broadening her understanding of cultural diversity and how it relates to architectural style and form.
Leisa launched her artistic career in 2009 and began depicting the historic homes and buildings of Old Town Alexandria Virginia, where she lived. Since then she has crisscrossed the USA numerous time documenting homes while completing home portrait commission requests which she receives from around the country.
“Homes are like people,” states Leisa. “They are all uniquely different and have their own character and style. That’s what makes my job so creative and so much fun. An added bonus is that the pleasure in creating the house portrait can then be experienced every day by the homeowner who made their home art inspiring!”
Contact
For additional information, please contact:
Leisa Collins
(703) 598-7360
leisa@leisacollins.com
