Jason Leith

Robert (@ the HUB)

Robert

Artist: Jason Leith

Location: The HUB Resource Center in Orange, CA

Robert is a deaf man with a gentle spirit. Our time was mostly quiet because I did not know if he could hear me or read my lips. Neither could I understand what he was saying when he was using spoken words. So I wrote down some questions for him in the midst of making his portrait.

What’s your dream? “to be reunited with his wife, Jacqueline.” He proceeded to share how she is very sick and he’s hoping she recovers, but seemed to be under a cloud about the situation.

What is your passion? “basketball”

As he was loading up his bike to leave, Robert invited me to go play ultimate frisbee with him and his friends.

Portrait Artist

All Posts

Carolyne

Artist: Jason Leith

Location: Orange County Rescue Mission

Carolyne is an exuberant servant. When Carolyne was 12, her single-parent mother went into an alcohol recovery program. They drifted in and out of having a roof over their heads. Her servant-heartedness and enthusiasm for life was taken advantage of at 20 years old when she landed in a manipulative group promising to help her restart her life. Despite everything, she found ways to grow within the group, becoming more outgoing and sharing Jesus more directly with people. Fortunately due to her strong connection with God’s voice, she made it out in a short time. Carolyne was faced with starting over again. She eventually found a healthy place to build a foundation at the Double R Ranch. She is eager to grow her passion to serve, expressing how “Each one of us has a unique purpose in what we can take care of. It’s up to us to take care of it.” Carolyne’s first portrait sketch reflects how she has encountered darkness through broken relationships and spiritual oppression. But her final portrait reflects the joy and kindness people experience of her today.

Jason Leith

Portrait Artist

All Posts

Cheyenne

Artist: Jason Leith

Location: Orange County Rescue Mission

Cheyenne is a buoyant journeyer. Born in New Jersey, she gave her life to Christ at 16 and became ready for a change away from home. She jumped at an opportunity to start all over and come to California and live for Jesus. The opportunity ended up being an abusive scheme, with fifteen girls living in a two-bedroom apartment, coerced to ask for money every day. Proverbs 1 encourages the faithful to seek wisdom and discernment. This scripture, along with advice from a friend helped her quickly depart from the group. She says, “It changed me for the good and built my character.” She hopes to completely let go of the life she had in New Jersey. Just like the faithful mentioned in the book of Hebrews, she is not looking back, but “longing for a better country—a heavenly one.” (Heb. 11:15)

Jason Leith

Portrait Artist

All Posts

Sketching Toni Livestreams

I had the opportunity to make Toni’s portrait at Faith City Mission in Amarillo, Texas and it was captured on a livestream.

Toni

Artist: Jason Leith

Location: Faith City Mission, Amarillo, TX

Toni always remembers your name. And then she begins praying for you. Her ministry is to pray for people and has seen many healed and helped from her prayers. She lives with schizophrenia and her children dropped her in front of Faith City after she got out of a mental hospital. She said her dad was “always helping somebody.” He died when she was only 24 yet he was the one who taught her virtue. Toni’s message to the world is written into her portrait “Give people grace. Love people more often. Pray for those who hurt you.” When I asked about her passion she said, “caring for the homeless.” Even with nothing, Toni’s attention is on others who may also need a hand.

The entire process of Toni’s portrait is up on YouTube from the 24-hr Bench broadcast. Watch me Start Toni’s portrait – Start at 3:50:00

Watch me Finish Toni’s portrait here

Jason Leith

Portrait Artist

All Posts

Jezzelle

Artist: Jason Leith

Location: Faith City Mission, Texas

At four-years-old Jezzelle was exposed to things not even teens should see. Her journey brought her to become involved in gangs, incarcerated, and suicidal. She says however that “the Lord sustained me through it all.” It was in 2021 that she rededicated her life to Christ. “I’m learning I don’t have to live as an orphan.” She explained. “I’m like the prodigal I’m returning my father. His arms are wide open. I was searching for love in all the wrong places, wanting safety and security” She told me how Christ healed her of all addiction, suicidal tendencies, lupus, and schizophrenia! Her dream would be help others recover too.

Jason Leith

Portrait Artist

All Posts

Mikee: Big Smiles Always

MIkee

Artist: Jason Leith

Location: O’Neill Park

Mikee gave us smiles. For the decades he sat outside the gate to O’neill’s Story Walk, he made people’s day brighter through his jovial greetings. A U.S. Air Force Veteran, he chose to live his later years among nature, enjoying connecting with people of R.S.M. He had little material wealth, and yet his legacy lives on. “Big Smiles Always.”

Update: All prints were taken within the first two days. Thank you!

Jason Leith

Portrait Artist

All Posts

Serve with Sacred Streets

Come and serve with Sacred Streets by visiting the HUB Resource center and connecting with the individuals coming to receive services. l (Jason) will be your host to help us each to engage relationally with people who are who usually overlooked. This is an opportunity for anyone kids and families welcome.

Rather than serving pragmatic needs like check in or serving food, we will focus on giving the gift of time and attention. There are so many ways to do this. I do it through making portraits, and will likely make one during our time. But you may choose to do this by sharing a meal, playing a card game, or a doing a creative activity together. Feel free to bring something of your own if you’d like, whether it be a game you like, or fresh baked goods you made, or a creative activity you’d enjoy doing with others. I will share more when we gather.

CHOOSE A DATE (choose one, or multiple)

THURSDAY MAY 28 – 8:30 AM –12:00 PM
SATURDAY AUGUST 8 – 8:30 AM –12:00PM
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 14 – 8:30 AM –12:00 PM

LOCATION: The Hub Resource Center. 517 W Struck Ave, Orange, CA 92867

I have 8 spots reserved for each date. RSVP today for any date.

I’m looking forward to meeting together and seeing how God encounters us and those we are serving.

— Jason

If you would like to join and serve, please complete these 3 steps:

1.Create your own account with the HUB

Go to volunteer.thehuboc.org
Click “Sign up” on the top bar
Create an account

2. Sign the HUB volunteer waiver.

On the top right of the HUB Dashboard, click on your initials to view the dropdown menu. Select “prerequisites.”
On the prerequisites page the first section is “incomplete prerequisites” and it will list the volunteer waiver and release form. Click to view and sign.

3. Let me know you’re coming

Send me an email at Jason@sacredstreets.org
Let me know which day you are coming.
Let me know how many people in your party

Denny

Artist: Jason Leith

Location: OC Rescue Mission

“Freedom” was the word that Denny spoke when I asked what it was he was thinking about as he was tearing up during our portrait session. The program director said he’s only seen him cry like that once. Simply put, this is a person overwhelmed by God’s grace.

Jason Leith

Portrait Artist

See All Portraits

Sketches

Relational Sketches

Each of these sketches is a relational portrait—that is a portrait created face-to-face with the individual as a way to connect, share stories, and affirm. Each portrait is a testament to the masterpiece of each person, created by God for a purpose.

* We have about 40 sketches to upload with photos and write ups. We are in the process of adding each one.

Relational Portrait Artists

…with more joining our team in 2026-27

Back to All Portraits

Vessels

Driveway Histories

During garage sales, families haul their histories out onto their driveways. As I attended these garage sales throughout the Casa Blanca neighborhood on Saturday mornings in 2014, I would meet the families, hear their stories, and find objects among their things that could serve as canvases for their portraits. Casa Blanca is a humble place, yet so rich in history, which is ingrained not only in its residents, but also its objects.

These old car parts, cheap appliances, dinged furniture pieces, and endless clothing items were cheap cast-offs to the owners, but still hold value in the story they tell of that owner. To associate a person so deeply with these items as to draw their portraits on them falls short in ways, but it is a strong physical representation of how we make an impression on our objects and surroundings and how they impress us.

Select any piece to learn more.