Diamond Lake Creative is the reification of a life imagined in decades past. It is more than a physical space or the culmination of people, places, things, experiences, etc., etc. Art, in all matters and in all forms is central to our daily existence. Not art, in any fashion, is secondary. This concept (Diamond Lake Creative), ever-changing, is meant to bring art to everyone, and allow everyone to feel the emotions that only art can elicit. Moreover, at this moment in history, the act of creating that which is instructive in the defense of, and more generally supportive of humanity, is paramount.

Based in the Diamond Lake neighborhood of South Minneapolis, DLC is committed to making this corner of the world a better and more equitable place – environmentally, politically, economically, socially, and via opportunities for teaching, learning, and fostering arts in diverse settings – through images, words, ideas, and acts. It is also, at the most basic level, the home of artworks created by me, Leif.

We¹ don’t take ourselves too seriously – because we’re seriously flawed, like everyone else. Flaws are not what defines a person; how one addresses those flaws and confronts that which is not in keeping with the person they want to be is what matters. We are in a continuous state of change in hopes of becoming the best version of ourself, each particular day. Perfection is only an imperfect ideal that resides temporarily in your mind. Do what you can, when you can, to the best of your ability, and don’t spend a lot of time worrying about what everyone else is saying.