About Leisa Shannon Corbett
Biography
Leisa was born in Saint Louis, Missouri, a very good place to grow up and to return for
visits. At age 7, she watched an artist sketch her portrait and decided right then that making
art was magic - and she HAD to do this. By her teens she could paint and draw well enough
to be accepted into an Honors art program near her high school. What freedom! They let
her experiment with various media and she was surrounded with other talented art students
from high schools all over the city.
After high school graduation, she majored in art at a local community college. Compared to
Honors art, the classes at the community college seemed dull and unimaginative. The only
inspiration came from an art history professor who urged her to go out in the world - to see
the great art in Europe for herself. At the time, Leisa knew she didn't possess the chutzpah
to go to Europe and live hand to mouth. She was too shy and didn't even have the money
for the plane fare.
So - what to do? At her parents urging, she dutifully completed an Associates degree.
Post graduation career prospects seemed dismal - a few minimum wage jobs and possible
marriage to her high school boyfriend. She knew from that sick fear in the pit of her
stomach that if she stayed in Saint Louis and got married, her dream of being an artist
would remain a childhood fantasy, packed away like old toys and then donated to the
Salvation Army.
Fortunately for Leisa, her boyfriend got cold feet about getting married and her brother
decided to join the Army. Realizing she was free to make her own destiny, Leisa talked to
her brother's Army recruiter. The recruiter said the Army would teach her a foreign language
and send her to Europe. Leisa looked at the poster of the female sergeant in uniform, tried
to imagine herself in green serge with a black beret, and signed on the dotted line.
She trained as a German linguist and intelligence analyst. Upon completion of her training
she spent a year in Fort Hood, Texas and then went to the city that changed her life forever
-Berlin. In Berlin she met two great loves and experienced a culture shock that changed
every idea she had about what art is or could be. Seeing the great art of Europe convinced
her that she could not be a career soldier. She left the military, married and lived in Berlin
twelve years. In Berlin, she earned a B.A. In art history and sold her paintings at local
galleries. She conducted tours of Berlin art museums for English speaking visitors.
Following her husband's death in 1996, Leisa returned to the USA, earned an MFA in Visual
Art at Vermont College. She settled in Fort Worth, Texas and was a Working Artist for
Golden Artist Colors. From 2001-2007 she taught art history and studio art at college level.
She has won several awards her work in juried competitions and exhibited at commercial
and university galleries. In 2005, Leisa won the Excellence in Teaching Award for Adjunct
Faculty at North Lake College.
In 2007, Leisa moved to northern Illinois with her husband, Jay Kalbrener.
Leisa was born in Saint Louis, Missouri, a very good place to grow up and to return for
visits. At age 7, she watched an artist sketch her portrait and decided right then that making
art was magic - and she HAD to do this. By her teens she could paint and draw well enough
to be accepted into an Honors art program near her high school. What freedom! They let
her experiment with various media and she was surrounded with other talented art students
from high schools all over the city.
After high school graduation, she majored in art at a local community college. Compared to
Honors art, the classes at the community college seemed dull and unimaginative. The only
inspiration came from an art history professor who urged her to go out in the world - to see
the great art in Europe for herself. At the time, Leisa knew she didn't possess the chutzpah
to go to Europe and live hand to mouth. She was too shy and didn't even have the money
for the plane fare.
So - what to do? At her parents urging, she dutifully completed an Associates degree.
Post graduation career prospects seemed dismal - a few minimum wage jobs and possible
marriage to her high school boyfriend. She knew from that sick fear in the pit of her
stomach that if she stayed in Saint Louis and got married, her dream of being an artist
would remain a childhood fantasy, packed away like old toys and then donated to the
Salvation Army.
Fortunately for Leisa, her boyfriend got cold feet about getting married and her brother
decided to join the Army. Realizing she was free to make her own destiny, Leisa talked to
her brother's Army recruiter. The recruiter said the Army would teach her a foreign language
and send her to Europe. Leisa looked at the poster of the female sergeant in uniform, tried
to imagine herself in green serge with a black beret, and signed on the dotted line.
She trained as a German linguist and intelligence analyst. Upon completion of her training
she spent a year in Fort Hood, Texas and then went to the city that changed her life forever
-Berlin. In Berlin she met two great loves and experienced a culture shock that changed
every idea she had about what art is or could be. Seeing the great art of Europe convinced
her that she could not be a career soldier. She left the military, married and lived in Berlin
twelve years. In Berlin, she earned a B.A. In art history and sold her paintings at local
galleries. She conducted tours of Berlin art museums for English speaking visitors.
Following her husband's death in 1996, Leisa returned to the USA, earned an MFA in Visual
Art at Vermont College. She settled in Fort Worth, Texas and was a Working Artist for
Golden Artist Colors. From 2001-2007 she taught art history and studio art at college level.
She has won several awards her work in juried competitions and exhibited at commercial
and university galleries. In 2005, Leisa won the Excellence in Teaching Award for Adjunct
Faculty at North Lake College.
In 2007, Leisa moved to northern Illinois with her husband, Jay Kalbrener.
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Leisa Corbett Art Studio
Sailing on Lake Washington, 2003
