As hard as I’ve been pining for spring, when I spotted the beauty above on my friend’s Facebook wall, I fell instantly in love! (This one’s thanks to you, Lady Twin!)

Christopher Leeper is an award-winning realist painter and children’s book illustrator based in Ohio, from whence Lady Twin hails! Leeper paints what he sees, and judging by his gorgeous landscapes and small-town scenes, what he sees is truly stunning.

I found that after gorging myself on Leeper’s paintings, I felt more at peace. To me, one of the marks of a truly great painting is how dramatically it can affect the viewer’s mood. And these paintings certainly had a positive effect on mine!

You can see all of Leeper’s amazing paintings on his website and on Facebook.

All images property of Christopher Leeper.

And now, just for L.T., is the song that plays in my head every time someone says “Ohio.”