Hi.  My name is Frank Jay Leonard, son of Gloria and Frank A Leonard, both now gone.  My sister Nancy and I grew up in Santa Cruz, on the West Side, on Woodrow Avenue, about three blocks from West Cliff Drive and the sea.  I loved it at the ocean, playing with my dog Tippy and taking photographs until they rolled out my ears.

I experienced darkroom photography for the first time 54 years ago, at the age of 12.  A friend invited me to witness an image come up magically on a piece of paper that had been dropped into a light brown colored liquid.  I was changed forever.  Living as close to the ocean as I did, I quickly fell in love with seascapes and landscapes and black and white, darkroom photography.

My life has taken many paths since that experience at 12 years old.  I left home at 18 to study for the ministry.  I married and helped raise two beautiful young men.  I  left the church and my marriage.  I retired from public education in 2008, having taught and counseled elementary and middle school children for 22 years in San Francisco.  I am now living a new life in the Santa Cruz Mountains, with my beloved Joyce, 4 cats, and a dog.  And in all of this, there was and is the backdrop of photography.  In all of this, I have been a photographer since that day 54 years ago.

In my retirement from public education, photography is providing an outlet for my passion and my excitement.  I love to express myself in images, and to share some of the ways in which I see the world.  I welcome you to this site.  I hope you enjoy my images.  I hope once in a while you will purchase a favorite for a wall in your home.  It would be an honor and a privilege to provide something that enriches your life and your home.

My plans include having a once a month show at my new gallery, featuring guest artists, live music, wine and cheese.

The November Show – GRAND OPENING of my new gallery – Friday, November 9th, 2012 – 6 to 9pm.   CLICK HERE to view the promotional postcard, and for a map and details.

The December Show – “ABUNDANT SUCCULENTS” – Saturday, December 8th, 2012 – 1 to 5pm.   CLICK HERE to view the promotional postcard, and for a map and details.

I am grateful to be alive and to be able to do my photography.   I am grateful to have a partner who embraces my work and encourages me, sons who I am so proud of, and friends I am making in this new community who are already blessings in Joyce’s and my life.

Again,

Thanks for visiting!  Hope to see you November 9th or December 8th, or both . . :o)

Frank.