Jon Leafstedt

ARTIST STATEMENT
Hello beautiful people, I am LEAF.

I started painting with my mother at around 7 years-of-age as a creative mom-son pastime after school and before dad got home from work...then it was cocktail time! While my parents sipped away on Rob-Roys and caught up on their active day, I threw down my kiddie-cocktail, smoked a breadstick, and continued to paint and never stopped, until university, where I was encouraged to get a business degree and pursue a career in retail, like my Swedish paternal grandfather before me. As a business student, I focused all of my elective credits on art courses, so I was able to tap an academic schedule that explored all things creative and commerce. I spent the next 30 years leading retail organizations, but always finding time on weekends to pursue my first love...painting.

Today, on my small hillside acreage in Sonoma, I've finally transitioned an old barn to a creative studio for all sorts of inspirational endeavors and now find myself on most days, exploring new painting techniques, creating for others.

Thanks Mom & Dad! Cocktail time!

LOCATION:
Sonoma, CA