Historic Archives - Leichsenring Studios

Once Upon A Time in Bristol, CT

by Sharon Leichsenring· October 31, 2022· in Artwork, Clouds, Historic, Trees, Trompe L'oeil·

What a ride (taxi cab!) this painting commission has been. I was contacted by the owners of a magnificent building in the somewhat sleepy town of Bristol in Connecticut. I would soon see that what is a town that has escaped the noise of big cities by being located away from major interstates, was in fact, a bustling commercial city in the early 1900s. At that time, it was considered one of the premier clock-making cities in the United States. I’ll try to keep the background brief. If you get curious, google New Departure Mfg. Co. Bristol CT. A business started by the Rockwell Brothers (the Rockwell Company) would become known as New Departure Manufacturing Company. Not content with their successful cycling venture, they drew up plans for an automobile. The first was produced in 1904. The Roxwell Taxi rolled out of the Bristol plant. Check out this ad So the current owners of the building, my client, had an image of a hand colored photo from about the same time. There was no way to enlarge much bigger than a sheet of paper without the image pixelating. And, that dear readers, is my cue to enter the picture. We arrived at a […]
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History Repeats Itself!

by Sharon Leichsenring· August 31, 2022· in Artwork, Historic, Horses, Murals, Staircase, Trompe L'oeil·

I received an email recently, from a gentleman who had just purchased a home in Middletown, NY. He found a mural that I had painted there ten years ago. Music to my ears coming as he wrote “we admire the murals that you did. We will proudly keep them the way they are”. He taught high school history, and it was his curiosity that had him inquire. He asked if I could fill him in on any of the background of his murals. (Don’t worry, I’ve got the old newsletter with all the pictures and I’ll be sharing that below). He had not bought the house from my client. There had been , in fact, another owner in between, who also left the murals as they were. I had painted them on Masonite panels as the work was very detailed, translate, time consuming, and Middletown was just a little too far for a commute. I painted them at home and installed them when completed. I explained my client, a police officer, had not just a historical interest in the city. He was also a Civil War buff. We decided to morph that focus into a view of Middletown starting at the time […]
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Sail With the Vikings

by Sharon Leichsenring· December 31, 2021· in Artwork, Bathrooms/Powder Room, Historic, Murals, Ocean, Trompe L'oeil, Video·

I can’t say it enough. The opportunity to create a mural in a powder room makes my heart smile. It’s a chance to create a contained world in a very small space. In this case, the powder room is a scant 61” square but my painting area was 85 square feet. My heart is more than smiling here, it’s doing jumping jacks! My client, a woman of extraordinary vision is requesting pure, undiluted magic. Bring a Viking village to life! Challenge on. Here are the first two proposals. Did I forget to mention the magnificent mirror driving this concept? A carved dragon wrapped around the mirror. More about this mirror later. Suffice it to say, the dragon carvings will appear on the ships, on the long houses and on the high seat in the mural. Also, it is paired with draw dropping dragon sconces. Here is the final approved drawing. I’ll show you photos of the entire mural, but let’s just set the mood with this video. Here are the four walls. I’ve included the wall with the mirror before the mirror was hung so you can see it without the sconces and mirror. The high seat was added at […]
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What’s with the trees?

by Sharon Leichsenring· October 01, 2021· in Artisan Finish, Artwork, Ceiling, Childrens, Headboards, Historic, Staircase, Trees, Tropical·

I’m working on a mural design right now. It’s a tricky one, more of a puzzle at this stage. I’ve got to weave in my clients’ favorite Central Park NYC locations, and in a very natural way, add in the Eiffel Tower and a pair of European landmarks that have a great deal of importance. I’ll be sharing more about it when I start painting, but that won’t be happening til spring of next year. But. Right.Now. This is the most challenging part, to make the transitions from vista to vista feel effortless. Not contrived at all. My magic elixir, add trees. In this case it will be winter branches, heaped with snow. I know it will work, as I’ve used trees before for just this solution. Trees, actually, (besides clouds or maybe scrolls, but we’re not talking about that right now) might be my favorite thing to paint. Pictures say it better. So, this mural which is in a private residence in Branford, CT, portrays many historical vistas of the now bygone Branford Driving Park, first used for horse races, then automobile in the early 1900s. Check out just how elegantly the trees frame each vignette and bring your […]
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The day I knew what I wanted to do for the rest of my life

by Sharon Leichsenring· January 02, 2020· in Artisan Finish, Ceiling, Clouds, Columns, Dome, Historic, Murals, Trees·

It’s the end of the year as I’m writing this newsletter. A time to reminisce. It seems only fitting to share a project that convinced me becoming a decorative artist was truly my future. This work predates the onset of my newsletters. Although I’ve grown as an artist, I feel his work has withstood the test of time. You let me know after you walk through it with me. My client made me laugh showing me the first area I’d be painting. A dome on the second floor. From the windows spread the lovely Bantam Lake in Connecticut’s town of Morris. He commented, ” I know there are all those theories saying that painted clouds are so much more than white on blue. That is you look closely, you’ll find the whole of the rainbow. Pinks, yellows, gray. Maybe so, but I want to see what I see when I look out these windows. I see pure blue skies with white clouds. Give me that, Sharon”. And so I did. Here’s the finished picture. Work moved to the wine cellar. The brick work, including the ceiling, had been completed. I needed to make my mural look integrated with the space. […]
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Mural Painting Secrets for Success by Gary Lord

Standing The Test of Time

by Sharon Leichsenring· February 01, 2019· in Artwork, Historic, Murals·

This month was filled with nothing but loose ends; installations not complete, finished photos still on my dream list. So instead I’d thought I’d share one of my pivotal murals, important to my career for so many reasons and dating back over 15 years, so never included in a newsletter. The mural in progress and completed. Let me tell you a little about the subject. The sepia toned mural was painted from old photos provided by the Morris Historical Society. Morris is a sleepy, charming little town on Bantam Lake in Litchfield county, Connecticut. I poured over the old and crumbling photos and negatives with my client and found enough reference material to recreate this scene in the lakeside home he was building at the time. The building was a roadhouse on water’s edge. Aptly, it was called The Music Box. The cars parked in the lot suggest it was photographed in the early 1930s. The building has changed over the years and now houses a real estate office. So now , with that backstory, with a proper thank you to each party. Starting with my client, whom I will refer to as Mr.D. It’s been a standard of this […]
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A Little Piece of Heaven

by Sharon Leichsenring· December 05, 2017· in Birds, Ceiling, Clouds, Historic, Lettering, Murals, Signs, Trompe L'oeil, Video·

So sometimes a project starts out as a wonderful surprise. When I pulled into the driveway of this home for the first time, I just knew this was going to be something special. Looking at this beautifully restored country church in Fairfield county, Connecticut, I had no idea of what to expect. Originally built in 1873, the church was sold and converted into a private residence when the parish outgrew its tiny size in the 1950s. An attic floor was built converting it into a five room home. My client purchased it in 1990. By that time, the deed restrictions dictating that “it not look like a church” had passed and she was able to renovate the exterior back to its original beauty in 1992. The interior renovations started earlier this year and are nearly complete. When the closet was demolished and the false ceiling removed, an absolutely lovely foyer space emerged. Salvaged wainscoting was used where needed. I experienced the special gift when I “get” a new client and they in turn “get me”. It’s a special combination of crazy and inspiration, with a dash of whimsy and when it’s there, we get magic. Here is the vision I […]
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Canvas painting of buggy driving up the lane

Down Christmas Tree Lane

by Sharon Leichsenring· December 05, 2012· in Artwork, Historic, Horses, Trees·

It’s beginning to look a lot like… Christmas Tree Lane! Though my work at the property known as Christmas Tree Lane in New Haven County in Connecticut is not quite completed, it seems the time of year made it inevitable that I would share this with you now. I thought you might enjoy the journey that takes place before any paint touches the canvas. I’ll share first. This is the completed canvas, which measure 36″ x 48″. You are looking at a vintage buggy driving up the entrance to the farm. Here is a picture of the actual buggy. Just a tease, but check out the painting on the ceiling. More about that will be coming when the room is ready. I spent some time with the pair of percheron horses, Barnum and Bailey. I wasn’t familiar with their bridles. Here’s a picture where Bailey is being coaxed into the correct position of his ears! “Forward, Bailey. Forward!” Now, the initial concept: a buggy, a pair of horses and a few Christmas trees. Here’s what that looked like on paper. After it was reviewed, the very graphic black and white approach was discarded. It had a rather dark, gothic […]
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A House Touched by History

by Sharon Leichsenring· May 03, 2012· in Historic, Horses, Murals, Places, Staircase, Stairwell·

A Victorian house sits on a quiet street in Middletown, NY. The historic marker on the sidewalk in the only sign that hints to passersby of the rich history that is part of Middletown’s history. When I first met with the owners, it was clear to me right from the start how challenging a project this would be. The owners have a clear respect for the value of their home’s history. Care has been taken to protect the original stained glass work. The intricate workmanship hails from another era. How then to combine all the subject matter that Middletown had to offer? The Thrall Library was a treasure trove of information and old photographs. I also photographed some of the existing buildings and statues. I designed the mural in two sections. The work was done on wood panels and when completed, attached and framed to the wall. Here they are! If I’ve captured your curiosity, let’s take a look up close. The first two scenes reflect the owner’s interest in the Civil War. The tattered flag of the 124th Regiment honors the famous Orange Blossom Regiment formed in Middletown in 1862. The statue of a lone soldier salutes the honor […]
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Horses of a Different Color

by Sharon Leichsenring· December 01, 2010· in Historic, Horses, Murals, Places, Staircase, Stairwell·

Along the way, there have been more than a few projects that have tested me as an artist. However, and that’s a big however, this one surely tops the list in so many categories. It needed a great deal of research, a tightly maintained sepia palette and a design that could transition from different scenes as one ascended the staircase. I’m going to take advantage of the wonderful writing of Robert Pollack, who authored the following article which appeared in the Shoreline Times of Branford, CT. There are more pictures at the end of the article. Wall of history: Muralist paints life as it was in Gibson Girl era Published: Thursday, November 04, 2010 By Robert C. Pollack Special to the Times BRANFORD – The sepia mural that adorns the wall alongside a staircase and reaches up to the second floor of a seven-room 1925 house takes the viewer into another era. The time of the Gibson Girl and the bowler hat. It seems incongruous that this local historic scene in this old house is near Planet Fitness and busy Boston Post Road. Spanning 13½ feet in length and sweeping up 14 feet, the mural typically evokes this reaction from […]
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