Meet Leisa Collins of Leisa Collins Art

Today we’d like to introduce you to Leisa Collins.

Leisa, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve always believed that art is a powerful means of communication and a potent weapon to bring about change.

As a teenager, my love to travel and adventure prompted me to abandon formal art training and instead I decided to learn my craft while traveling across my native New Zealand homeland. Following that, I returned to Auckland and set up my first art studio. I always had an attraction for architecture and I started creating pen and water paintings of historic homes in Auckland. Soon I started received commission requests. While I enjoyed success with my art, I turned my attention to the non-profit world. This took me across the globe and it fueled my passion for working with people as well as drawing architecture.

Then in 2009, I decided to once again make my living from my art. I set up a studio in the historic district of Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, then moved to South Pasadena, California and have been traveling ever since. Since relaunching my art career I have found success in the field of architectural art and now receive new commissions weekly. To date, I have created close to 2000 portraits of homes and historic buildings in 48 states.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Making one’s living solely from one’s art is not usually a smooth and effortless endeavor, and this was also the case for me. Finding a niche market was important – in this case architectural art – and once I did that and isolated my exact demographic, things became easier. I always combined my artist abilities with my experience in PR and marketing which I feel is key to success in the art world.

There is seldom a magic formula when one starts a project like this and there is rejection and failures along the way. The most important thing is to learn from those failures and struggles rather than becoming the effect of them and giving up. These experiences made me stronger and also shaped a winning business model which allows me to create my art while also providing a steady income.

Please tell us about Leisa Collins Art.
I specialize in creating original one-of-a-kind pen and watercolor portraits of homes and historic buildings. “Your home is your castle” as the saying goes and each home has its own personality and special qualities that have been imbued in them by their owners.

One’s home is often one’s sanctuary and resting place, with special memories of children and family and events. I capture all those memories in my paintings with intricate care and attention to detail. That’s what sets me apart as an artist in this field and keeps old clients coming back and new clients coming in the door.

Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Sitting for hours drawing and painting in the beautiful outdoors of New Zealand with other family members who also love to draw and paint.

Pricing:

• Prices for original house portrait paintings average between $350 and $850 depending on size.

Contact Info:

• Address: 1004 Woodruff Ave, Clearwater FL 33756
• Website: www.leisacollins.com
• Phone: 703-598-7360
• Email: leisa@leisacollins.com
• Instagram: Leisa Collins Art
• Facebook: Leisa Collins Art

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