For senior Micah Leake, what began as simple doodles in the margins of notebooks has grown into a passion that shapes how he creates, thinks and expresses himself.

“I first started doodling little cartoon characters in freshman year,” said Leake, not thinking much of it at the time. 

It wasn’t until junior year, when he enrolled in AP Art, that he began taking his work more seriously and seeing art as something he truly wanted to pursue. 

Although Leake didn’t feel early pressure tofollow an artistic path, support eventually came in a meaningful way.

“I wouldn’t say anyone really encouraged me to pursue anything art related when I first got into it,” said Leake. 

However, that changed over time, especially with his mom.

“My mom is my biggest supporter by far and encourages me to pursue whatever it is that I love.” 

Leake has experimented with many forms of art, but some mediums stand out more than others. 

“Through experimentation, I’ve found that my favorite mediums to use are porcelain clay and oil pastels,” said Leake. 

Leake explains that these materials allow him to explore both structure and expression in his work. 

When it comes to the process of making art, Leake appreciates balance. 

“Making a polished piece through a planned process always makes me feel accomplished,” said Leake, referring to the portfolio requirements in AP Art and AP Ceramics. 

Still, he added that he also enjoys creating “without thinking much about a plan.” 

Art is a daily habit for Leake, not just a class requirement.

“I try to create something new every day,” said Leake. “[Even if it’s] something as simple as a doodle on my math homework.”

Leake believes art is appreciated at LHS but still undervalued in some ways. 

“Art is about creativity, expression and critical thinking,” said Leake. “[These qualities are] much harder to quantify [in traditional grading systems].” 

After high school, Leake plans to continue his artistic journey at the University of Oregon in the product design program.

“I just love art… it makes me happy and gives me an opportunity to express myself without having to say anything at all,” said Leake.

Those early doodles have become a significant part of Micah’s life.