Leah Oates has B.F.A. from the Rhode Island School of Design, an M.F.A. from The School of the Art Institute of Chicago and is a Fulbright Fellow for study at Edinburgh College of Art in Scotland.  Oates has had solo shows Susan Eley Fine Art, Central Park Arsenal Galley, The Brooklyn Public Library and at the MTA Arts and Lightbox Project. Oates has been in numerous group shows in at Wave Hill, Edward Hopper House, Metaphor Projects, The Pen and Brush Gallery Propeller Gallery, Gallery 1313 and Arta Gallery.