Meet Birdy LeBlanc | Visual Development and Background Artist

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

Hi Birdy, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
I work both as a freelance artist and an animation industry artist, and I think most folks outside of those industries or looking to break into it feel like it’s an impossible uphill battle. Truth is, the community is extremely welcoming and open if you put yourself out there. Before I graduated I was terrified of what the future held for me as a professional artist and everything felt impossible, I had no idea that all of these idols of mine and artists I looked up to were so easy to connect with. Networking is the most important part of succeeding as an artist, and once you get the ball rolling, you’ll have more close-knit friends than you ever expected! I would say it’s a lot more like a supportive community of friends and peers than it is just a job.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
My art has always been about creating worlds and telling stories. Those whimsical worlds and characters that capture your attention and heart for life. I dig deep into developing every last detail of new places for our imaginations to explore and leave no stone unturned- and I am very proud to be able to create such unique and cohesive worlds that tell new and unique stories that everyone can relate to and learn from.

Getting where I am today was… challenging, to say the least! I think a lot of that came from fear of the unknown, and struggling with confidence in my own ability as an artist.
Overcoming that was natural after I started surrounding myself with other artists and people with similar goals that could help me grow at my own pace, being around like-minded folks in your industry truly encourages healthy competition to grow to their level and boosts your confidence like nothing else.
It really taught me how to have a more objective look at my work and light a fire under me to never lose that passion. If you go through life knowing you want to be an artist, or have a true passion for a specific path, don’t ever let doubt cloud it.

I want the world to know that you can fight through and overcome adversity and that my work carries the message that I don’t want anyone to feel the same way I did in those painful times of life that made me question my ability to chase my dreams. I’ve been through a challenging life filled with health challenges, socioeconomic struggles, fought to put myself through school, and much more- and I made it through to the other side, with my dream career in the palm of my hands.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Well, my whole life has been in sunny Sarasota! If I were planning great spots with visiting friends, a good majority of those spots would be beaches and piers.

Definitely Beercan Island several times for that week, nothing beats the clear blue water and breathtaking driftwood. You could spend a whole day in the cover of the mangroves with your choice of food and drinks packed up for an easy day.

Shell beach, a small Siesta Key outlet, would be a similar story. Bring all the goodies you want, if it’s sea grape season… grab a good handful from the trees and try a unique wild Florida snack!

Downtown Sarasota, especially Main Street, packs an endless trip of incredible shops, bars, and restaurants. You wouldn’t want to miss checking out the Gator Club for some drinks or Oddity Tattoos for high-quality art to remember the trip.

The last couple of spots would have to be Marina Jacks for long walks around the piers and banyan trees, maybe a bite to eat at O’Leary’s Tiki Bar.
Jungle Gardens if you want to feed some flamingos, talk to some incredibly cool parrots, or even hold a baby alligator.

And last, but not least, Munchies Cafe is a can’t-miss-spot for me. It lives up to the Munchies title with its crazy menu, and they’ve even got a tiki bar if you’re feeling thirsty.

All of these are my favorite little pieces of heaven in the general Sarasota county area, and I’ll never pass up the opportunity to show friends these sights.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
A special shoutout goes to the friends I made at Ringling, the professors I learned from, my family, and especially my fiance Aaron. Aaron always encouraged me to pursue art and follow my dreams of attending a great art school. For a long time, I was so scared of life as an adult and how unsure the future felt, but with his encouragement and love by my side I could breeze through my goals and start my life as a professional creative. I will always be thankful, and lucky, to have him in my life.

Website: https://birdyleblanc.wixsite.com/birdyhome

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/birdy.leblanc/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/birdy-leblanc-28a09117a/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/birdyleblanc

Other: https://linktr.ee/birdyleblanc