Meet Leeahd Goldberg | Oil Painter, Storyboard Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Leeahd Goldberg and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Leeahd, why did you pursue a creative career?
You know, this is such a tricky question because it’s somehow both incredibly simple and incredibly complicated.

On one hand, I’m a huge believer in freedom of choice and self-determination — the idea that we all get to carve our own path. And yet, despite knowing there were countless other options out there, I’ve honestly never felt like anything but a creative career was on the menu for me.

Over the years, my creative outlet and career have evolved — from comic books to storyboarding to painting and beyond — but I genuinely can’t imagine my life without art at the center of it. There have definitely been moments when I’ve considered stepping away from the creative world. But every time I try to picture what that would look like, I just… can’t. I don’t know how not to be creative or how to stop making art.

I don’t know if I’d go so far as to say I’m “destined” to be an artist — that sounds a bit grand for me — but I do know that being creative isn’t just what I do, it’s who I am. Pursuing a creative career has always felt less like a choice and more like an essential part of existing.

I’m curious — for anyone reading this who’s also creative: did you choose art, or did art choose you? I love hearing how other people ended up on their creative paths!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Ooh, a multi-layered question indeed — I love it. Let’s dig in!

Was it easy? No. Not at all.

How did I overcome the challenges? I worked really, really hard and threw everything I had into it. Sometimes that was enough — and sometimes it wasn’t, and I failed. There are a ton of fantastic quotes out there about failing and getting back up, but honestly… what other option is there?
Whenever I’ve hit a wall (or a spectacular crash landing), I’ve had to pick myself up — sometimes putting myself or my life back together first — and then either charge back at it or look for a new angle or path forward.

I originally wanted to be a comic book artist. I sort of succeeded at that… but not enough to sustain myself financially. And in hindsight, I don’t think I was good enough yet to make it at the level I wanted. So eventually, I transitioned to being a storyboard artist, which gave me the chance to tell stories visually in a whole new way.

And now, I’ve completely fallen in love with oil painting. Once I started exploring oil paint, it was like nothing I’d ever done before. It’s this beautiful combination of technical challenge and pure, expressive magic. It’s tactile, it’s unpredictable, and it’s endlessly deep — I feel like I’m barely scratching the surface of what’s possible.

Along the way, I’ve learned a ton of lessons, but here are some of my top takeaways:

Try oil painting. It’s the best. Seriously.

The creative journey is almost never a straight path.
You have to be open to detours, because even setbacks can lead to incredible things down the road.

Always carve out space and time to make art for yourself — not just for work or clients.

Making art (or being creative in any way) is not just about the end result. The joy is in the doing. So try to enjoy the process, not just the outcome.

As for what sets me apart from others… if I knew exactly how to answer that, I’d probably be way better at marketing myself! But I guess I’d say I bring a mix of disciplines and influences — comic art, storyboarding, classical painting, and my own sense of humor and intensity — into what I create. No matter the medium, I’m always chasing that feeling of genuine connection that happens when art resonates with someone else.
At the end of the day, I just want people to know that art is for everyone. You don’t have to be “born talented” or have some magical gift. You just have to be willing to keep showing up, keep learning, and keep putting yourself into the work.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I’ve been living in Austin for years, and I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface — I’m always finding new and exciting things to do here!

If my best friend came to visit, I’d definitely take them to some of my favorite art spots like Atelier Dojo and Highland Art Collective. I love being surrounded by creative people and beautiful work.

Food-wise, I’d have to share my vegan go-to’s — The Vegan Nom for incredible tacos, and Rebel Cheese for amazing vegan cheese and sandwiches that even non-vegans rave about.

For hanging out, there’s always a great brewery or distillery to chill at — Austin has a big craft drink scene with awesome atmospheres. And if the weather’s nice, we’d hit some parks or trails like the Barton Creek Greenbelt.

Plus, Austin’s full of cool galleries and weird, artsy places to explore — it’s impossible to get bored here.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Ha! I feel like my first instinct is to say I’d like to shout out three people: me, myself, and I. Totally kidding… although I do wonder if anyone has ever answered that seriously before!

In all honesty, the list of people and influences who deserve a shoutout in my story is way too long to name completely — and my memory is famously terrible, so I’d inevitably leave someone out.

First and foremost, my biggest shoutout has to go to my mom. She’s always supported me and believed in me, even during times when I wasn’t sure I believed in myself. Honestly, I’d extend that gratitude to all my family and partners over the years. Their support has been the foundation that’s allowed me to keep creating.

Beyond personal loved ones, I owe so much to my first art teacher, Mark Westermoe, who played a huge role in my early development as an artist. But even before him, one of my biggest influences was a book: How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way. I spent countless hours with that book, studying every page and trying to crack the secrets of dynamic drawing. It was absolutely formative for me.

In more recent years, I have to give a shoutout to Chelsea Lang and her oil painting bootcamp community, which has been such a motivating and educational space. Also, Jennifer Balken and her school, the Atelier Dojo here in Austin — they’ve both been instrumental in helping me push my skills further. And of course, artists like Nicolás Uribe, whose work and teaching continue to inspire me daily.

And most importantly — even though it’s still small and growing — I have to shout out my own art community around my YouTube channel and Discord. The connections, encouragement, and shared love of art in that space keep me excited to keep creating and sharing my journey.

So, huge thanks to all of you — you know who you are. I definitely couldn’t do this alone.

Website: https://www.leeahd.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leeahdg/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leeahd/

Twitter: https://x.com/leeahdg

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leeahdgoldberg/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@LeeahdGoldberg

Image Credits
My Cat Dresden (named after the wizard Harry Dresden)