Sharon Leichsenring doesn't just paint murals on the wall. Seeing one of her completed projects, the viewer is part of a total illusion. "There's a sense of wonder to have an artist create that special world for you in your own home that is truly yours." says Sharon. "It's more than finding the correct palette and reference materials-which are important-but, the core of the successful design is being able to take your client's wish and translate it into that emotional response which they are seeking. A well-designed mural or vignette should be able to evoke that response every time it's viewed.

Once the elements for a project have been chosen, the drawings begin. Sharon's clients find it amazingly easy to comprehend what she has in mind because she makes it a simple process for them. Once rough thumbnails have been agreed to deliver the concept, Sharon creates a miniature of the area she will be painting. An artist's colored rendering is called a "maquette". Sharon takes that step further and executes it either as a diorama if multiple walls are involved or she works on enlarged copies of photos of the actual room so that it can be viewed in its total environment, with furniture and window treatments. Sharon remarks that she is surprised when a client comments about work done by someone else that it was disappointing or not what they were expecting. "There are absolutely no mysteries about the outcome of my work. All the details have been worked out before any paint is mixed." Sharon's portfolio includes several examples of the finished drawings, followed by photos of the completed job.

Sharon says" I studied at the Paier School of Art, formerly the Whitney School, in New Haven, Connecticut. My background gave me the best of two worlds to develop the techniques I use. Formal training as both a fine artist and graphics designer is combined with razor sharp execution honed from years of experience as a commercial hand-lettering artist." As a decorative artist, Sharon's portfolio only opens with murals. She offers a wide array of glazed and textured finishes, including several breathtaking creations of mica-infused plaster. Her stenciling techniques include traditional as well as dimensional work. Cloudscapes range from simple and whimsical used for nurseries and perhaps a laundry room, quiet and airy to recall that perfect morning sky, to billowy and dramatic as the mood may dictate. She also offers faux marble and faux bois (wood-graining).

Sharon is a member of the National Society of Mural Painters and the Stencil Artisans League. She is a nationally award winning artist, having garnered the grand prize in the decorative painting division of a competition sponsored by American Painting Contractors in 2004. She has also been a participant since 2003 in The Salon, an international by-invitation-only gathering of artists. These conferences have brought Sharon to Bruges Belgium and Oslo, Norway as well as a recent gathering in the States in Philadelphia.

Sharon credits her own teaching as a huge contribution to her personal evelopment as an artist. The responsibility of being an effective teacher forces one to go beyond our innate and self-taught abilities. As a teacher, one must learn to crystallize each idea and be able to break it down to simple and understood theories. "I completely understand a student's desire for a great-looking sample, but it is far more important to know the how and why of painting something rather than simply copying a sample. Success for me at the end of a class is knowing I have imparted the tools the students will take to create their own masterpieces. As a professional, this part of the journey continues to add new approaches and techniques to my own portfolio."

Sharon's work can be found in residences throughout Fairfield, New Haven and Litchfield counties in Connecticut, as well as Westchester County in New York.