A Personal Archive

A personal archive of art and design exploring memory, religion, and identity.

BROWSE ARCHIVE
• Branding • Illustration • Motion Design • Mixed Media • Web Design • Branding • Illustration • Motion Design • Mixed Media • Web Design • Branding • Illustration • Motion Design • Mixed Media • Web Design • Branding • Illustration • Motion Design • Mixed Media • Web Design •
Leah Cortez smiling warmly at the camera, seated in a softly lit studio with art supplies and colorful paintings in the background, conveying a welcoming and creative atmosphere

About the Artist

I'm Leah Cortez, a Chicana artist and designer from Corpus Christi, South Texas. I make work about identity, religion, and the uncomfortable across graphic design, printmaking, illustration, and mixed media. This site is my archive.

✦ About This Archive

A personal record of my favorite pieces across classes, mediums, and years. Not everything I've made—just the work that feels most honest to me. This archive documents how memory, religion, and identity take form over time.

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Recent Addition

Custom Typeface + Specimen Poster - Surendra type system lace border

Custom Typeface + Specimen Poster

Typography • 2026

This project translates historical type specimen reference into a contemporary digital type system. Surendra balances readable humanist structure with subtle expressive serif detail, while the specimen poster presents anatomy, usage, and accessibility considerations through a clear visual hierarchy.

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Recognition

"Leah's work throughout the semester was consistently excellent—thoughtful, well-executed, and beautifully presented. I especially admired how she incorporated her Hispanic roots and Catholic symbolism into her color choices and visual storytelling. Her projects demonstrate both strong technical skill and a compelling artistic voice."

— Joe Peña, Professor of Art, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi

"Leah's sketching and digital iteration process stood out as both rare and valuable. She develops strong visual concepts through thoughtful critique and refinement, resulting in work that is not only well-executed but intellectually grounded and emotionally resonant."

— David Shields, Assistant Professor of Graphic Design, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi

"Leah demonstrates a rare balance of artistic talent and creative foresight. She applies foundational design principles across mediums with confidence, crafting work that shows a strong sense of form, space, and audience. Her projects reflect a designer capable of building thoughtful and engaging visual experiences."

— Ian Manseau, Graduate Teaching Assistant, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi

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