Karin H. Leonard ~ Founder
The quest to paint the parks grew out of my profound passion for painting and lifelong love of nature – and with that the intense desire to protect and preserve these precious places all over the earth.
However, since this small planet is amazingly vast and rich in terrain, it is a lot to cover for a single painter. So I hope you will join me in this quest, wherever in the world you may find yourself – whether you are a fellow painter, art lover or nature enthusiast – or like myself, all three!
Growing up in Germany, I spent long summer days at my grandparent’s farm, wandering the fields and forests in search of lizards, salamanders and unusual growing things. My parents chased us kids up many an Austrian mountain, and the alps were my second backyard. Pencils and paper for drawing were steady companions from early on. So I guess, not much has changed – I still wander the fields and mountains in search of nature’s beauty – these days often with easel and paints in tow.
Whether you are an artist, an art lover and collector, or a nature lover and conservationist, you will find a treasure chest of information, inspiration and art on PaintTheParks.
If you are an artist and want to play, these are the rules of the game:
- Please only paint places you have actually visited. There is no substitute for experiencing the majesty of the out of doors, and being in nature’s temple. The energy and soul of a place has a visceral effect on your entire being.
- Once you have been present in a park, walked the trails, taken in the fragrance and seen flowers up close, you will have a cellular memory of the place. Then, painting en-plein air or back home in your studio will carry the special essence and your interpretation of this living, breathing sanctuary.
- To participate, donate at least 10% from the sale of each painting to the respective park. If you dedicate a page of your website to your parks paintings, I will place a complimentary image and link on PaintTheParks for you.
If you are an art lover, please browse the Paint the Parks collections and enjoy! If you fall in love with an available painting, it can be yours and your family’s to treasure for generations to come. And, you will be supporting your parks, since a minimum of 10% will be donated to the respective foundation. Many paintings are also available as affordable fine art prints and greeting cards.
If you are a nature enthusiast, you will find plenty of inspiration and information here. Please browse our collection of park paintings, and consider decorating your walls with a memory of a favorite place. Support your parks in the process! And please keep roaming the parks around the world, let us know what you find…
Above all, let us conserve the natural beauty we were given, for our children’s children, as in the words of my hero John Muir:
“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.”
Thank you so much for visiting PaintTheParks.com, and I sincerely hope you will join in on this beautiful quest to paint and and preserve our parks worldwide!
Yours in the Fellowship of the Paintbrush,
Karin H. Leonard