Biography ( Read time 1 Minute )
Born in Edmonton, Alberta, in 1998, Madeline LeBlanc is an early-career artist whose unique journey has shaped her approach to the arts.
Madeline's art career began during a period of homelessness where she turned to art as a means of filling her time. She utilized the resources available at the shelter, such as craft paint, paper, and cardboard to create artwork. Her journey from homelessness to artist was widely covered by CBC News and other news outlets. This experience has solidified her artist mission of promoting arts accessibility.
Madeline's artistic talents were nurtured by Natalia Mishchenko, who is an instructor at the Fine Art Academy in Kiev Ukraine. With Mischchenko, she learnt that drawing is a sense that has to be fostered without the use of measuring tools or references. This key advice has been integral in the development of her intuitive art style. For her developed portfolio Madeline has been awarded scholarships to attend prominent institutions such as Rutgers University Mason Gross School of Arts in New Jersey, USA, and the Art Institute of Chicago.
She is a recipient of the 2022 Edmonton Artist Trust Fund award for her work documenting the Edmonton arts scene and promoting arts access. Madeline was also the runner up for the 2023 Eldon and Anne Foote Award for her exhibition, Tween, which was featured at the Works International Visual Arts Festival. In 2022, Madeline was nominated for the Canadian Sobey Award, which recognizes up-and-coming artists.
Madeline's artwork is inspired by loose themes of biology, specifically cell division, and mutation. She draws from these scientific processes when creating her compositions. Her work is influenced by science-fiction, cosmetology, fashion & botanical illustration, fairies, and humor. She has exhibited her works at the Art Gallery of Alberta, Latitude 53, the Works International Art and Design Festival, and other venues.