Jared Leake is a mixed-media artist based on the central coast of California. His work focuses on mixed media painting, drawing, photography, and aspects of video. He has attended Artist in Residency programs in Greece, Costa Rica, and Southern California as well as other workshops around the country where he created work through research and experimentation with materials. Aspects of Jared's travel, love of the outdoors, and storytelling are seen throughout his work. Jared is a father of a three year old which recently helped revisit his passion for illustration and children's books resulting in his self-publishing of two children's board books, "Have You Seen Slithy?” And “Como Te Gusta Tu Tortilla”.
Jared is a fifteen year art teacher and is currently employed at a 7th-12th grade school in Northern California where he teaches courses in AP Studio Art 2D and Drawing, Studio Art, Graphic and Digital Arts 1 and Art 1 and 2 (which covers a variety of mediums such as painting, drawing and 3D work). During these courses, his students build self-confidence, learn about current societal trends, develop their own opinions and take ownership over their learning.