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

I’m Leah, a graphic design student and visual artist interested in the space where design, culture, and personal experience meet.

A lot of what I make starts with a feeling, question, memory, or idea that I don’t quite know how to put into words yet. I use design as a way to explore it. I’m drawn to subjects that carry emotional weight, including identity, memory, belonging, grief, spirituality, culture, and uncertainty. I like figuring out how those ideas can become something visual.

My process usually starts with research and observation, then moves into experimentation. I collect imagery, references, textures, words, and visual ideas until I find something that feels connected to the concept. From there, I use typography, image-making, composition, color, and physical or digital experimentation to build a visual language around it.

I’m especially interested in the tension between order and chaos. I like work that can feel expressive and layered without losing its purpose. Whether I’m designing a publication, building an identity, making an illustration, or creating a print, I’m always trying to find the balance between what something needs to communicate and what I want someone to feel when they encounter it.

At the center of my work is a desire to make things that feel personal, intentional, and alive.