growing up in the pacific northwest, leavitt was influenced by the wood-craft and engineering of native american, scandinavian, and industrial craft in the region. his parents practiced education, graphic design and environmentalism, formulating leavitt's early interests in both art and sociology. as a child he taught himself to build miniature hydroplanes in balsa wood. "my mom had some drawing skills, she started as a graphic designer at boeing," leavitt says, "i would have her draw my action figures, and i would watch her draw." he attended the pratt institute in new york in 1996-97, and completed a self-designed bachelor of arts at the evergreen state college in olympia, wa in 2001. "leavitt began crafting a motley variety of apartment friendly, popcult-themed art after dropping out of pratt to avoid working for whoever passes for 'the man' in the art world." (thrillist.com) from 1998 to 2004 leavitt executed a series of conceptual art pieces like "push button performer" (2001–2004) with cabaret-style audience confrontations in public. in the same period leavitt's studio became known as the intuition kitchen artshop in seattle, evolving as a self-produced gallery space. his 'artshop' sold his trading cards and first hand-made action figures. it closed in 2004 as leavitt showed his work in retail galleries. since then leavitt has continued his professional career and community activism.