LANSING, MI, September 21, 2009
/24-7PressRelease/ -- Capturing the "places, faces and homes of America on camera and on canvas", Sacramento, one of the key stop of the Across the USA from the Eyes of an Artist tour, was found to be a city of art in action. The journey marks the re-emergence of visual artist Leisa Collins into the art world after two decades of global travels and social activism.
Leisa held an open air painting session and lesson for young artists on the lawn of the State Capitol to protest the slashing of state funding for children and art and promote the message that artists and parents need to help fill the void and use their talents and art for change. The event also launches the Leisa Collins, Art with a Message Online Gallery for Young Artists. The art from this session will be the first displayed in the gallery.
Heading out of Los Angeles ten days ago, the tour first traveled to the Grand Canyon and in now heading back through California before moving up the coast and advancing east. Culminating in New York near the end of September, the USA tour has traveled 1,000 miles to date, with another 5,000 more to go. Leisa's focus today is on promoting art for change. She first launched her artistic career in New Zealand 1976, after she abandoned formal art training and opted to learn her craft by capturing the beauty of the New Zealand wilderness on her canvas.
While in Sacramento, Leisa experienced Sacramento's Second Saturday Art Walk. "This is one of the most happening city art programs I have seen anywhere," stated Leisa. "The entire city, young and old, get behind it! It's very impressive."
In addition to recording the scenic beauty and people of America through photos and paintings created by Leisa on the road and promoted through her Art with a Message Blog, Leisa has kids' art projects scheduled along the tour route to raise awareness for children and art education. In this regard, Leisa is partnered with Free Arts for Abused Children so as to get this message across.
Leisa then traveled up the coast via the Redwood National Park, heading for Seattle then over to Yellowstone National Park and the Badlands in South Dakota, Sioux Falls City, Minneapolis/St Paul in Minnesota, Green Bay and Milwaukee in Wisconsin. Crossing to Illinois they will visit Chicago and move onto Lansing and Detroit in Michigan. Following will be the Niagara Falls and the Pennsylvania cities of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia before they reach their final destination of New York City.
A native of New Zealand, but international in scope, Leisa is now combining her activist and artistic skills under the motto of art with a message. Working mainly in acrylic and watercolors, Leisa is diverse in her artwork, painting landscapes one day and house portraits and face portraits the next. She also works with other women artists and specializes in art for change projects. You will find the USA tour route under the Art in Action page of her website at http://www.leisacollins.com and her Art with a Message Blog at http://www.leisacollinsartwithamessage.blogspot.com follows the action of the tour. Her weekly newsletter, Art in the Making, can be accessed through her website.
About Leisa Collins Art
Leisa Collins Art is the artistic endeavor of New Zealand born visual artist Leisa Collins. The company motto is Art with a Message and the primary focus is on using art for social change by promoting art in action, especially working with women artists on projects concerning children and art education. For more information contact Leisa by phone at 517-763-8453 or by e-mail at leisa@leisacollins.com.
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