Multimedia Artist &
Graphic Designer

Crafted in blood, stitched with lace.

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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 graphic designer and visual artist based in Corpus Christi, Texas. I create bold, expressive visuals that explore memory, identity, and emotion through a blend of graphic design and fine art. My work is rooted in storytelling — using design as a tool to communicate what words often can't.

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• 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 •

Latest Project

The Unholy Gaze - Aquatint etching exploring how religion frames women as unholy lace border

The Unholy Gaze

Aquatint Etching • 2025

Unholy Gaze is about how religion often frames women as unholy—something to be watched, judged, and controlled. Through aquatint textures and stark contrast, the work emphasizes vulnerability and power imbalance, confronting the way religious structures reduce women to symbols of virtue or corruption.

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Recognition

"Leah's work throughout the semester was excellent—each project was well-executed, thoughtful, and beautifully presented. I especially admired how she incorporated her Hispanic roots and Catholic faith into her color choices and visual storytelling. Her western scene was brilliant, and her complementary color triptych's subject matter was unnerving in the best possible way."

— 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. Her ability to develop strong visual concepts through back-and-forth feedback revealed a level of responsiveness and intentionality that elevated the final work beyond expectations. What impressed me most was how she synthesized critique with her own symbolic voice, producing designs that were not only well-executed, but intellectually grounded and emotionally resonant. Her portfolio reflects a designer who thinks deeply and builds boldly.”

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

"Leah has an uncommon and precious balance of artistic talent and foresight. In my courses, she was a standout for her ability to apply fundamental creative concepts to wildly different media. In Design II, her sculptural practice demonstrated a natural sense of form, space, and audience. She then carefully and thoughtfully applied those same concepts to the digital landscape, crafting not merely a website, but a consistent and engaging creative identity. Leah is a designer through and through, with a gift for creating strong experiences in both physical and digital form."

— Ian Manseau

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Select the creative areas that interest you most, and I'll curate 3 pieces from my collection that match your vision.

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