Eleanor Leinen is living a life people dream about. This “Renaissance Woman” brings her art and eclectic life experiences full circle. She served two Mayor’s of NYC as Assistant Commissioner of Telecommunications, Energy and Director of Special Projects & Events. She had lengthy conversations with Nelson Mandela, Mary Tyler Moore, Pavarotti, Butros Butros Galli, taught at New York City’s Museum of Natural History, New York University’s Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) and was a Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines celebrity guest lecturer! Since moving to Port St. Lucie she has let no thing stop her as she once again transforms ideas into boundless creativity! Visit the MidFlorida Event Center and experience “Metamorphosis III” featuring The Genie Habitat Collection from August 25 – September16, 2023. The public is welcome to an Opening Reception Party on Thursday, August 24th. The Rickie Report shares the details and some sneak peeks. Don’t Miss the Opening Party – it will be a reception like no other you have experienced!
Monday through Friday 8 am to 5 pm
772-807-4488 772-807-4471 (TDD)
9221 SE Event Center Place Port St. Lucie, FL 34952
OPENING NIGHT PARTY
Thursday, August 24, 2023
6:45 – 8 pm
Free admission & parking
Eleanor Leinen
None of those previous positions leapfrogged Eleanor Leinen’s art career as much as becoming the owner of an artsy gift gallery in Englewood, New Jersey. After leaving the Mayor’s office, she opened Eleanor’s Craft Gallery which featured unique gifts created by upscale crafters. When her loyal clients urged her to provide wrapping to match the gifts, Eleanor reinvented the art of gift wrapping… and began making regular appearances on NBC’s Weekend Today in New York Show.
From Eleanor Leinen’s Genie Habitat Collection
LIBRA
The Genie of A Dreamer’s Dreams
Her elaborate gift wraps became so popular that she penned a book UNIQUELY GIFTED, which featured her “out of the box” wraps she dubbed “PRESENT SCULPTURES.” From there, this woman’s imagination took her on a super-sized Alice in Wonderland journey. Apparantly, the media had never seen giftwrapping of this nature either. She was featured in STORES, ESSENCE, HAIRSTYLE, SOUTHERN LADY magazines and more, plus NBC’s national Today Show, NBC’s Today in South Florida (10×), the Daily Buzz, Fox & Friends and DYI just to name a few…and became a media spokesperson for 3M. Her first giftwrapping exhibit “THE ORGINAL WRAPPER” was hosted by friend, Chris Noth in his NYC club the Cutting Room and empty wrapped packages sold for $500 and up.
When Eleanor was diagnosed with diabetes, a friend asked her if she would be required to wear diabetic shoes which she had never heard of before. In her opinion diabetic and orthopedic shoes were simply “MONSTEROUS!” and something had to be done to make them fashion forward. So, she immediately turned her attentions to “fixing” this problem and created “WALK ANOTHER WAY” – a line of couture handpainted orthopedic footwear for women. The media had never seen anything like Eleanor’s shoes and within just a few months she garnered extensive editorial acclaim in – THE SUN SENTINEL, (” ONE OF THE MOST NOTABLE PEOPLE OF THE YEAR”), DIABETES FORECAST, ENTERPRISING WOMEN, FOOTWEAR NEWS, (FN), and BOCA magazines. To her shock and amazement Eleanor became one of MORE MAGAZINE and DOVE BEAUTY’S “10 MOST INSPIRING WOMEN IN THE UNITED STATES”.
From Eleanor Leinen’s Genie Habitat Collection
REGA
The Genie of Royal Lifestyles
She tells The Rickie Report, “There are two moments in my professional life that humbled me – the MORE/ DOVE BEAUTY MAGAZINE SUPPLEMENT and an award I received from the prestigious New York State’s NORTH SHORE HOSPITAL – “DIABETIC INNOVATOR AWARD OF THE YEAR”. In addition, Zuilly also requested Eleanor to create an exclusive collection for their customers.
In the height of her career Eleanor’s husband of 25 years, Stephen Leinen, was stricken with cancer. Immediately, she put her career on a back burner for 8 years caring for him until his death in 2017. After her husband passed, Eleanor pondered about whether to pursue her art. On the day her husband died she received word that she had won a coveted Artist In Residence to work and exhibit in STUDIO18 a well known gallery for emerging artists in Pembroke Pines, Florida where she exhibited frequently.
Like everything else in her life, she always leaned on her Mom’s advise and looked forward to new horizons. And as expected, she found a new love, Paul Rorhbaugh (also a widower), who was a retired pharmacist, entrepreneur and art aficionado, overcame a major bout with cancer and surprisingly, her art was rebooted by the Covid lockdown.
Two years into the pandemic they married on Valentines Day. During the Covid crisis they took great joy decorating their home and purchased a number of tall floor bottles. One day her husband suggested that she might consider painting them. And so she did! They are now known as “THE GENIE HABITAT COLLECTION” – three years in the making along with framed wall art.
From Eleanor Leinen’s Genie Habitat Collection
RATTLE
A Baby Genie for New Parents
Eleanor’s art is all about bright and luscious color schemes, unique palates, texture and contemporary ornate designs that are combined with global ethnocentricities. Each creation dares the viewer to experience and discover the world of optimism she has enjoyed and hopes will emerge in time.
When asked what is so special about her fictictious Genies? Eleanor responds, “Everyone who has ever fantasized about Genies thinks about wishes of wealth and sucess being granted but…what if the bottle and it’s Genie is “wish limited” …then what?” This comment capsulizes her brilliant imagination and her nod to whimsy which she believes one acquires from 71 years of living a magical life.
From Eleanor Leinen’s Genie Habitat Collection
VACAYA
Genie of Vacation Memories
Eleanor was raised by a smart college educated, spiritually unique, fashion forward mother and father who was an international businessman, spoke five languages and traveled all over the world bringing young Eleanor exotic gifts which she treasured. Other inspirations include her husband Paul and vintage National Geographic Magazines which stayed on the top of her childhood reading lists.
For more information about Eleanor’s artwork:
Cell: 646.286.9323
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Rickie Leiter, Publisher
11676 SW River Crossing Place, Port St. Lucie, FL 34987
