Horses Archives - Leichsenring Studios

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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Hanging ’round the farm for inspiration

by Sharon Leichsenring· August 03, 2018· in Artwork, Bathrooms/Powder Room, Dogs, Horses, Kitchen, Murals, Staircase·

It’s supposed to be the lazy days of summer, but time is flying here at my studio. I’ve got a darling little project that needs to be finished but this newsletter is not going to write itself waiting for me to finish it. So this month we’ll start with some progress shots. For sure I’ll be finished by next month. After visiting with my client, the initial direction to use her beautiful flowering gardens as inspiration. Then it changed as she thought the flowers and landscape could be minimal and a variety of farm animals take center stage. Here are the original sketches. I’m more than halfway done. Here’s one of the front panels and one side panel completed. I’ve been juggling deadlines to finish this, and you know I will. The farm theme also showed up in a painting I completed for Bella’s Café I (home of the best upscale comfort food in Connecticut) in New Haven. He’ll be hung as soon as Bellas’s reopens when the renovations are complete .Here’s the Rocking Rooster canvas I painted. Along with my dry sink, I’ll have more pictures of Bella’s next month. In keeping with completed […]
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The Paint Whisperer

by Sharon Leichsenring· September 05, 2017· in Artwork, Horses, Murals·

This project needs so many words to describe it. It was an honor being able to share in the magic of my client’s horses. It was far more difficult painting horse portraits than people because I had to try to understand a whole different way to visualize personalities. It was also a pleasure working on this huge canvas which measures 6′ by 9′ in my own studio. My husband would come in with a cup of coffee and say “the horse whisperer at work”. But horse whisperer I am not, but hopefully, a paint whisperer, yes I am. My client, the extraordinary Wendy J, offered me entrance to a very spiritual and grounding place with this commission. There are a total of seven horses in the composition, the smallest shown being a family favorite who has truly, no pun intended, crossed to greener pastures. It was so much more than just drawing them and getting their coloring down right. It was understanding their personalities and how they feel about each other that brought this to an entirely different level. Here is the original pencil drawing. From left to right, meet Moon and Esse . Moon is only a […]
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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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A horse is a horse, of course, of course…

by Sharon Leichsenring· August 04, 2009· in Horses, Murals, Staircase, Stairwell·

I hope this email finds you well, thinking creatively, and finally, enjoying the summer. This recent project will certainly stay in my favorite projects collection. Not so much that I am a “horse person” (I like horses, from a distance. They are beautiful for other people to ride.) What makes this mural special is that it was the perfect solution for this space nestled in the hallway and another way for the owner to enjoy this motley crew. Working from photos and a peek out the window when needed, this space which is a little over a 7 ½’ square is now home for … Teddy and Freddy Barnum and Bailey and the terriers Buddy and Holly as well as assorted tack and saddles. This mural brings a smile to my face when I see it. Is there a mural in your home that might bring a smile to you?
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