Photobooth Self-Portrait, 2021
OPEN FOR WORK!
Email: leilahhodges13@gmail.com
Instagram: @luckystxrz
Recent Awards/Galleries:
2025 SOI Student Scholarship: The $5000 Jason Polan. Award, Manhattan, New York
Eduardo Carrillo Gallery, Senior Solo Exhibition, Santa Cruz, CA, June 2025
National Gallery: 200th Anniversary, Student Project (In Collaboration with University of the Arts London), London, UK, Winter 2025
Hello!
I am Leilah Hodges, an Illustrator and Visual Artist based in Berkeley, California.
I studied at the University of California, Santa Cruz with an emphasis in Illustration and Mixed-Media Art. My work explores the intersections of identity, community, mental health, and the natural world.
Since childhood, I have been drawn to the quiet details in art that bring characters and worlds to life. This sensitivity to narrative now drives my artistic explorations through visual media. Drawing inspiration from my family history and community, I create work that encourages curiosity, challenges assumptions, and deepens connection. Through zines, illustrations, and animation, I hope to invite viewers to look closer and engage with the everyday moments that hold deeper meaning. As I continues to grow my practice, I am excited to pursue projects that blend personal storytelling with collaborative work.
Outside of my practice I love to travel, hike, and read!
Family photo at the Arc de Triomphe, 2007