Leo Shallat

Seattle, WA 

“Art has no ceilings, there are no limits to what you can create, it can take you around the world if you’re lucky and introduce you to the most incredible people you didn’t even think were possible.”

Leo Shallat’s journey as an artist is rooted in rebellion, curiosity, and the need to channel restless energy into something meaningful. Growing up, he wasn’t the type of student who thrived under traditional systems. Diagnosed with ADHD, he often found himself doodling in class- not out of boredom, but as a way to keep his hands busy and his mind steady. What might have seemed like distraction to others became his first outlet for focus, expression, and discovery. Drawing letters in the margins of notebooks, he unknowingly planted the seeds of a lifelong creative practice.

As a teenager, graffiti became his first real obsession. The boldness, scale, and energy of it offered both a challenge and a form of self-expression that spoke directly to him. He wasn’t looking to make art to impress teachers or check a box, he wanted to get good for himself. Hours were spent with his sketchbooks, shaping and reshaping letters, refining form, and developing a personal visual language. For the first time, he was learning a skill outside of any structure, guided solely by motivation and passion.

Art quickly grew into more than just a pastime; it became a lifeline. Creativity offered Leo a way to navigate challenges both internal and external. Immersing himself in a painting or a project allowed him to quiet the noise of overthinking and find peace. Beyond the personal, the discipline of art also reshaped how he approached the world. Instead of chasing shortcuts, he learned the value of persistence and hard work. He came to understand that growth as an artist, and as a person, came through effort, patience, and an openness to evolve.

His earliest inspirations came from hip hop culture, which captivated him as a child. Graffiti, breakdancing, DJ’ing, and MC’ing introduced him to an entirely new way of seeing creativity: as something raw, alive, and connected to community. While Leo is an only child, he found guidance through mentor-like figures, people who showed him how creativity could be a path not just for self-expression but for self-improvement. One such figure was Juan, a friend of a friend who reframed graffiti for Leo- not as reckless tagging, but as an art form demanding discipline, dedication, and respect.

Over time, his style evolved. What began with graffiti expanded into calligraphy, and the two eventually merged into a niche movement known as “calligraffiti”- a fusion of graffiti’s explosive energy with the fluid elegance of calligraphy. This hybrid approach allowed Leo to carve out a distinct voice in contemporary art, blending tradition and rebellion, discipline and spontaneity. His earlier works leaned heavily into chaos- dense, layered compositions that embraced rawness and urgency, often disregarding negative space and harmony. But as he grew as an artist, his work shifted.

Today, his work carries the DNA of his early graffiti influences, the fluidity of calligraphy, and the lessons of countless hours spent striving to refine his craft. His canvases and murals embody both tension and harmony, chaos and control, reflecting not only the evolution of his style but also the evolution of the person behind it.

Looking back, Leo recognizes that his younger self longed for shortcuts—for validation without the grind. But what he has discovered along the way is far more valuable: that the process itself is the reward. The dedication to craft, the resilience to keep going, and the humility to evolve are what make the work meaningful.

Leo’s art is the thread that ties together his past as a graffiti-obsessed teenager, his struggles with ADHD and restlessness, his mentors, his triumphs, and his continued growth. “I think art has been with me through just about every major inflection point of my life. It’s taught me patience, it’s taught me that I am a capable and hardworking individual. Art has taught me more about myself than most relationships. It’s given me a sense of purpose and confidence in myself that I am eternally grateful for.”