Lee Goldman was born in South Africa. From an early age she expressed an interest in art. She studied art in high school, and then completed a diploma in Graphic Design from the Johannesburg College of Art.

In 1978 she immigrated to Toronto, Canada with her family and devoted time to raising her two children. Her return to the art world was initiated by a computer design course at OCAD, a relationship that would not last long. "I like being able to touch and directly manipulate my work. I find the computer too mechanical". This led to a series of pieces involving different textures, some found, some natural, and some commercial, as well as Japanese papers and widely woven fabrics. She started to introduce painted images and sometimes photographs. Using the acrylic medium, she added a touch of realism to otherwise abstract compositions. The natural progression resulted in her first series The Flower Series which was the subject matter of her first gallery show at the Wagner Rosenbaum Gallery (Toronto) in 2002.

Subsequently she participated in some outdoor shows and restaurant showings. In September 2004 she showed her work at Gallery 888 (Toronto).