The Artistic Journey of Leah Gonzales
Leah Gonzales, born in 1988, is an emerging visual artist working in a range of media including painting, sculpture, embroidery, animation, installation, and ceramics. Her work explores her identity as a queer woman of mixed heritage, drawing influence from indigenous folk art of the Southwest, ancient world art, Pre-Columbian art, Surrealism, and New Objectivity. Leah incorporates personal motifs and symbols to create an allegory of her spiritual relationship with nature and humanity. Her work has been exhibited primarily in Los Angeles and New York, winning awards like Best in Show for her animation "In Loving Memory" (2016) and receiving a grant from Cerf+ for her ceramic craft in 2021. Her largest installation to date, "Sauce Alley," was held in the catacombs of the Old Mint in San Francisco, CA, in 2017. Leah is also an Adjunct Studio Art Professor at institutions like Santa Monica College and Community College of Aurora.
