ABOUT LEAH
Leah Nadeau is a visual artist working primarily in acrylic and oil pastel. Born in Detroit, Michigan, she is currently based in the Portland, Oregon area.
Storytelling is the foundation of her work. Film, music, and synesthesia shape a visceral response, compelling her to translate emotion onto the canvas. Her practice is rooted in perception, beginning with how she experiences sound, color, and emotion before they become words.
Leah shares her work and story through a widely engaged social media platform that functions as an extension of her practice rather than a simple archive. Diagnosed with ADHD and OCD at a young age, she has lived with neurodivergence her entire life. Rather than viewing it as a limitation, she draws strength from the ways it shapes her perception, creativity, and connection with others. Vulnerability and resilience are not themes she performs; they are values that inform how she shows up—both in her work and in the world.
Deeply inspired by music and synesthesia, Leah often enters a state of flow when emotionally moved by sound. Her background in film theory informs a narrative approach to composition, while recurring motifs in her work, bridges as symbols of connection, and the rigid geometry of urban architecture, reflect her ongoing fascination with structure and relationship. Through vivid, emotion-rich compositions, her work invites viewers to feel fully alive and deeply seen, echoing the emotional connection she experiences through film and music.
Leah is a featured artist in a permanent residency at the Henry Ford Health Cancer Pavilion in Detroit, where her work is experienced daily by patients, families, and medical staff. Installed within a space dedicated to care, healing, and reflection, her work functions as a source of connection during some of life’s most vulnerable moments.
Most recently, she exhibited her work at the Palm Springs Modernism Show during Modernism Week in Palm Springs, California (2026), where 11 of her paintings found new collectors.
Her work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions, including Organized Chaos with the Women United Artist Movement (2024), All About Women, a juried exhibition at the Marin Society of Artists (2023), and the Seattle Art Walk (2022). In addition to her residency, her public art installation, a sculpture, has been on view in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, since 2022. Leah’s work and story have been featured in Seattle Refined, Great Lakes by Design, Women United Artist Movement, and Bold Journey.
EDUCATION
Bachelor of Arts, University of San Francisco (2013)
Master of Arts, Aberystwyth University (2015)
ARTIST STATEMENT
In my artistic journey, I speak frequently about my struggles with mental health and aim to shed light on my experience with chronic pain. Chronic pain, with its varied manifestations, has profoundly impacted two significant areas of my life. In my late 20s, I was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), which affects my entire body, a disorder that causes extreme muscle pain due to a lack of collagen in my ligaments and connective tissue.
I struggle daily with both Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). I have a busy inner world and strong fears that can get me stuck in ruminating. Despite these, I use artwork to shift my focus and create beautiful art.
Growing up, I struggled to be vulnerable and share my feelings with others. I had experiences that other children my age didn’t, so I felt Isolated. I feel it is my mission to challenge stigma through my work, so that others may be open and vulnerable about their struggles and thereby diminish it.
Having felt isolated in the past, I strongly believe that each individual’s experience deserves to be acknowledged. I hope to inspire and support others navigating similar struggles by embracing vulnerability and speaking candidly about my challenges. Perhaps my story will encourage others to seek help, educate themselves about these issues, or foster greater empathy and understanding. Cultivating compassion has helped me heal and grow, and I strive to empower others to do the same.
Amid the turbulence of my journey, art has become my lifeboat. This unwavering sanctuary enables me to navigate the complexities of my existence rather than passively allowing life to happen to me. It is a steadfast anchor, carrying me through the darkest and most arduous days when pain threatens to engulf every fiber of my being. Through my art, I find solace, expression, and a profound means of healing. Within the deliberate strokes of my brush, the interplay of vibrant colors, and the harmonious shapes that emerge, I discover a wellspring of resilience and transformation. Art empowers me to transcend my circumstances, to embrace the boundless beauty of creation, and to embark on a profound journey of self-discovery. Through creating, I find solace, restoration, and a renewed sense of purpose.
Through art, I can overcome my circumstances and become resilient. Despite everything that has happened, I’m living my dream life. I inspire others by sharing my courageous story and journey of learning from pain.
When starting a painting, I lay down the first layers. As the composition emerges, my brain begins to quiet as I see the path I want to take with my brush on canvas. My inner world takes over from my busy brain, and a story emerges, calming my inner narrative.
Although my OCD is rooted in fear of contamination, the possibilities of acrylic paint pushed me to step outside of my comfort zone and choose that as my main medium, despite my fears telling me it was life-threatening. Facing this challenge was a big step in my personal and artistic journey. The acrylic medium transformed my style from watercolor florals that felt safe to colorful geometric abstraction that set me free.
Exhibitions:
2026:
Palm Springs Modernism Show at Modernism Week
2024:
Women United Artist Movement Solo Show
2023:
Side Rail Collective- Georgetown Art Attack Group Exhibition
All About Women- Juried Group Exhibition - Marin Society of Artists
Exhibizone- Curves 2023 Group Exhibition
2022:
West Seattle Art Walk: Solo Exhibition
2021:
Henry Ford Cancer Center Pavillion: permanent artist residency
Roaring Artist Gallery: Powerful Little Things Exhibition & Market Participant
Lions and Rabbits Art Gallery: Artist residency at Cityflats Hotel in Grand Rapids, MI (through August 2022)
Detroit Artists Market: Holiday Market Exhibitor
2020:
Brewery Fasian: Solo exhibition, Detroit, MI
The Lemon Tree: Solo exhibition, South Lyon, MI
2019:
Great Lakes Coffee Co: Solo exhibition, Detroit, MI
2017:
Small Wonders: Group exhibition, Grosse Pointe, MI
2016:
Art Liaisons Gallery: Winter Gallery Featured Exhibitor, San Carlos, CA
Art Liasons Gallery: University Art Group Exhibition, June and July, Palo Alto, California
Press:
Artist Lane: Geometric Symphony: Leah Nadeau's Colorful Compositions (link)
Seattle Refined: Artist of the Week: Leah Nadeau (link)
Women United Artist Movement: Creating Rhythym Between Chroma and Contrast (link)
Bold Journey: Resilience: Meet Leah Nadeau (link)
Canvas Rebel: Meet Leah Nadeau (link)
Great Lakes by Design Magazine: Architectonics. Volume 5, Issue 6 (link)
I Love Creatives: Contemporary Abstract Painter Leah Nadeau (link)
Grosse Pointe Alumni and Friends: Leah Nadeau: Class of 2009 (link)
Ann Arbor With Kids: Color the Quarantine Coloring Book (link)