How It All Started

So, how did I get started with all this? 

When I was very young, I remember my dad’s nickname for me: “light in dark places.” However, in my early years I let myself fall silent and unseen. It was not until my mid-teens that I understood my true identity as God’s beloved son, called out of the shadows into the light. I became compelled to find ways to connect with people who felt stuck in the shadows like I did.

Just before entering college, I was wrestling over my life’s calling. I wondered about my gift of making portraits and my love for connecting to people cross-culturally. Would I choose to be an artist or a social worker? Art or people? As I struggled over this dichotomy, the Spirit gave a wonderful answer. “You can do both.” With that very word, I received a rush of images in my mind of making portraits with people as a way to show love and connect. I have been pursuing this integration ever since.

I started to use my love of creating portraits to connect with people I met living on the sidewalk near my college. I saw immediate impact. After some time spent with Steve and making his portrait he told me, When I’m with you, I feel human again.” After this I took my materials to Skid Row knowing I had to make more relational portraits.

These relational portraits matter because they affirm the value of a person’s identity—in a way they never forget. A tangible vision of their value that never changes.

That same year, I started using recycled objects as the canvas—another layer to communicate the story of restoration.

My life’s contribution continues to lead back to portraits of people who are unseen in our society. I’ve seen people rescued from life on the streets because of sitting for their portrait. So, I’ve dedicated my career to this vision.

Capture the Story of Your Residents

Capture the Story of Your Residents & Increase Engagement

Bring in a Sacred Streets artist to capture the soul of your mission through powerful portrait stories. It will inspire your audience toward involvement and radically uplift those going through recovery.

As a relational portrait artist and pastor since 2012, Jason Leith will create custom portraits with your people using meaningful materials that portray hope, value, and restoration.

Capture the Story of
Your Residents & Increase Engagement

Hire Jason and/or his team to connect with your residents at the start of their recovery journey. He will create custom portraits using meaningful materials that tell a story of hope, value, and a life undergoing restoration.

Increase Resident Recovery​

2 of 3 portrait subjects from a street level have a total life turnaround or express a deep life impact.

Tell the story of your organization

through art that beautifies and enriches your facilities.

Fuel donor giving

through heartfelt artwork. Auction artworks during your next fundraiser.

Reach further

in your next social posts, emails, and year-end reports.

3 Ways to Partner

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1. Commission an Original Portrait

• Commission a completely personalized portrait made from objects representing the soul of the individual and your mission.

• This includes affirming relational face-to-face process during the initial sketch.

• All digital files of artwork for your use in print, web, and social media

• 1 portrait: $1800 + travel expense. Commissioning a set of three or more can create a showcase event.

at Phoenix Rescue Mission
at Orange County Rescue Mission
at Phoenix Rescue Mission
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at Orange County Rescue Mission
at Phoenix Rescue Mission

2. Set Up Relational Sketches

• Setup time for an artist to make sketch portraits at your facility while connecting 1-on-1 (8×11″ drawings, 1 hour each)

• Invite your residents first-come-first-served or hand-selected.

• One artist can do max. 3 sketches in one day’s visit. Commission 2-3 artists to create more.

• Cost varies based on needs

Showcase in Bel Air
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Gallery in Louisville, Kentucky
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Jason shares the stories of the people he has met on the sidewalks

3. Exhibit from Our Collection

Inspire volunteer engagement by showcasing portraits from our existing collection. Rental prices vary with number of portraits and time loaned out.

More About Exhibits Here

Working with Jason​

Jason Leith is a pastor of 12 years at Saddleback Church, guiding hundreds on their spiritual walk. He received his Master of Arts in Global Leadership from Fuller Seminary, laying the foundation for adult development and serving people in urban environments.

Your people be beautifully captured in artwork as they are ministered to by Jason’s compassionate ear and pastoral presence.

Contact Here
"As one of our men shared about sitting for his portrait, his eyes watered and voice shook sharing how sitting with the artist allowed him to sense and feel that his life had value. I was really touched how a man with a sketch pad could be so powerfully used by God."
Thom Helmick
Thom HelmickOC Rescue Mission
“It was a reminder of what we’ve been through and how strong we are.”
Jeana Baltierra
Jeana Baltierra Former Student, OC Rescue Mission
These portraits are more than just images—they are powerful reflections of resilience, dignity, and hope.
Jesse Dallariva
Jesse DallarivaResidential Operations, Phoenix Rescue Mission
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Portrait at OC Rescue Mission

Portrait for a mother and daughter at OC Rescue Mission

Jason Leith gets the opportunity to create a portrait for two residents at the Orange County Rescue Mission OCRM. This mother and daughter were in recovery from a difficult set of circumstances, but they were embracing one another in the journey toward stability. Jason captures the unique pieces of their story in a way that they will be encouraged for the road ahead and to tell the story to others who are supporting OCRM. A painting like this timelessly captures the life change that organizations like OCRM are seeing every day.

 

If you’d like to have a portrait done of someone in recovery in your organization, please email jason @ sacred streets dot org.

State of Homelessness in Orange County 2025

State of Homelessness in Orange County

Over the past month, I’ve been ensuring that I’m up to date with the latest research and progress on helping people who living in poverty in Orange County. I’ve attended events and done a fair share of reading. Here’s some key takeaways of what I learned from dozens of leading voices.

State of Homelessness Address (from United to End Homelessness). Statements from Vincent Sarmiento (2nd District Supervisor), Katrina Foley (OC Board Supervisor), Tim Shaw (Continuum of Care), and more

  • Key Takeaway: As a “housing-first” advocates, their first goal is to simply get someone housed. However, long-term low income housing is short in supply, expensive to build, and slowed by delays among collaborating sectors. It costs more to serve someone unhoused than to pay for their housing.

 

Giving Guidance to End Homelessness. A panel discussion from the CEOs of Second Harvest, Illumination Foundation, and Families Forward.

  • Key Takeaway: similar to the above, they see the path as providing housing as a basic right, but wait times and delay in development hinder progress.

 

Americans with No Address Documentary. Film on the faces of homelessness and different approaches to helping across the United States.

  • Key Takeaway: The US Federal Approach to homelessness is not working (so-called harm reduction programs and lack of mental health care). The holistic care programs of Rescue Missions show hopeful results.

Video | Robert’s Life Change

Jason Leith’s creative process began with drawing live portraits on the sidewalk. See this process as Leith draws the portrait of Robert, a man who had lived life on Skid Row with a drug addiction for decades, and how it sparked life change.