English

In this section you will find:

a) Published articles
b) Biography
c) Resumé




a) PRESS

b) Biography of Gilbert LeBlanc

Gilbert LeBlanc was born and raised in a small community near Dalhousie, New Brunswick, in grade 12 he was introduced to visual art as it was offered for the first time in the school. Becoming a full time artist did not seem possible at the time so Gilbert studied architecture at the New Brunswick Institute of Technology in Moncton. After realizing architecture would not fulfill his appetite for creativity he traveled and became aware of the importance of art elsewhere in the world. When he returned from a stay in Vancouver he took a formation in wood sculpture offered one time only in Bathurst NB by Québec artists in collaboration with the NB craft school. Even before the second year of training LeBlanc decided to earn his living with sculpture, he bought a shop with a partner, participated in the organization of a craft co-op and several arts and craft shows and eventually was the founding president of “l’Association des métiers d’art acadiens”. LeBlanc showed several times a year in during the 80’s. He took as many work shops as he could and traveled furthermore to make up his art education. He shares what he learned by giving formation in sculpture for students on occasion.

As a young child Gilbert LeBlanc often watched his father blacksmithing, metal work attracted him. In 1992, after training with Clair Brunet of the Ontario College of Art, LeBlanc started his own art foundry in LaPlante near Bathurst NB. He made art casting more accessible for other sculptors in the province.

After a figurative series about family life, LeBlanc came back to abstract art at the turn of the millennium. NB art grant helped to make a series of sculptures exploring the percussive quality of bronze in 2002 and in 2004 to produced sculptures inspired by splashes of molten bronze he collected from his foundry floor. LeBlanc’s most recent bronze sculptures use invented plantlike form to express thoughts and feelings.

Gilbert LeBlanc is a member of l’AAAPNB (Association acadienne des artistes professionnels), since 1995 he is presently representative for the visual artists. He is also on the board of AGAVF: a national association of francophone visual artist groups. In 2006 he was honorary president and held the major exhibit at Festival d’arts visuels de l’Atlantique in Caraquet, NB. This annual event brings together over 50 artists and attracts 8,000 visitors. LeBlanc’s last show was hosted in 2007 by the Louise-et-Reuben-Cohen art gallery on U de M campus in Moncton and the Restigouche Gallery in Campbellton. He showed a different version at Galerie Coline in Edmundston and in Petit Rocher in 2008. He was nominated for the visual artist of the year award at the Éloize in 2007 and 2008.

LeBlanc created a sculpture for a public building in Charlottown PEI in 2008, in 2009 he was commissioned a 2.6 meter spherical bronze monument installed in Nigadoo,NB to honor the founder of the Congrès Mondial Acadien. From an artist residencie in Can Serrat near Barcelona in the fall of 2010 he produced Chez les catalans, an exhibit that toured until 2012. LeBlanc participated in a Symposium in 2009 an 2012 and produced an artistic bench for Edmundston, NB.

                            Gilbert LeBlanc with sculptures created in wax in Can Serrat on october 25th and 26th, 2010

c) Resume

Gilbert LeBlanc

445 LaPlante North road, LaPlante, New-Brunswick E8J 1Z7

gilblan@rogers.com

(506) 783-3626

PROFILE

Gilbert LeBlanc became full time artist in 1981, he own and operate an art foundry near Bathurst, New Brunswick in Canada since 1992.

SOLO EXHIBITS

2012 Chez les catalans, touring exibit in six places in NB.
2008 Jardin de bronze Galerie Coline, Edmundston and Petit Rocher, NB

2007  Divers jardin Restigouche Gallery, Campbellton, NB

2007 Galerie d’art Louise-et-Reuben-Cohen, Université de Moncton, NB

2006 Honorary president and major exhibit at Festival d’art visuel de

L’Atlantique in Caraquet, NB (8,000 visitors)

2005 Musée acadien du Québec, Bonnaventure Qc.

2003 Canada Games with Restigouche Gallery in Campbellton, NB

2001-02 Art installation at Festival d’art visuel de l’Atlantique

1999 NB Mining Centre Gallery, Petit Rocher, NB

1996 National Exhibition Center, Fredericton NB

1995 CBC Gallery, Moncton NB

1995 Galerie Roche, Petit Rocher NB

1991 Restigouche Gallery, Campbellton NB

Selected Groop Exhibitions

2010 Can Serrat artists exhibit in Cantalogna, Spain.

2008 Éloizes finalistes show, Charlottetown, PEI

2004 Festival d’art visuel de l’Atlantique in Caraquet, NB

2004 Artcadie, Juried group show in Montreal, Halifax and Paris.

2004 “Art sur roues”, nine selected NB Artist touring schools of NB

2002-01 Installations at Festival d’arts visuels de l’Atlantique.

1996 « Caraquet en couleur »  Art Show, Caraquet, NB

1994 Art Retrospective, World Acadian Congress, Bouctouche, NB

1994 NB sculptor delegate to Jeux de la Francophonie in Paris.

1993 International Ice Sculpture, Québec, Qc.

1990 La Ruée vers l’art, Tracadie, NB

1986-84-83 Festival des métiers d’art Acadiens, Moncton, NB

1984 National Snow Sculpture Contest, Québec, Qc.

1983 Exhibit and demonstration, Vieux port de Montréal, Qc.

1982 Restigouche Gallery, Campbellton, NB

Gilbert LeBlanc 2of 3

COMMISSIONS

2011 Artistic bench for Edmundston NB
2010 Medal for NB provincial debate 
2009 CMA founder monument (World Acadian Congress), Nigadoo, NB

2008 Lien ancestral Carefour de l’Isle-Saint-Jean, Charlottetown, PEI

2007 Bronze book for Louis J Robichaud Memorial Monument

1999 Annual award "Fierté française" for NB parents.

1999 Medal for the "Prix littéraire Antonine Maillet"

1999 Monumental sculpture for the "Sommet de la Francophonie"

1994 Award in bronze for song contest in Caraquet (4 every year)

1985 History of the Port of Saint-John (seven one meter round murals)

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

New Brunswick Museum, permanent display

Musée acadien du Québec in Bonaventure, PQ

Caisse populaire de Moncton.

Teaching Experience

2006-2009 Génie Arts in various schools

1999 to 2003 Artists in schools program,

2003 Mentor for artists of the National Arts Program, Canada Games

1987-88 Teaching sculpture and jewelry in at NBCC, Dieppe NB

1987-90 Introduction to wood sculpture in four NB towns.

GRANTS

2004, 2002 &1995 New Brunswick Art Branch Creation Grant

1993 Co-operation Canada New Brunswick

ENGAGEMENTS

2006-09 Board member of AGAVF: a national association of

francophone visual artist groups

2005-09 Visual artists representative for l’Association acadienne des

artistes professionnels, (AAAPNB) member since 1996

1994-1997 Founding president of Galerie Roche inc. in Petit Rocher, NB

1985-87 Founding president of l’Association des métiers d’art acadien

Gilbert 3 of 3

PRESS COVERAGE

May, oct 2008 Voix acadienne, IPÉ.

Jan. 2007 Mascaret (cover and center fold)

Jan. 6 2007 Saint John TJ Reader

07-01-06, 01-10, 02-10 and 16-01-2007 L'Acadie Nouvelle, Caraquet, NB

2007 Brio a SRC

2005 Rogers TV, 14 min.

Summer 04 Vie des Arts, Montréal, Qc

11-12-03 Northern Light, Bathurst, NB

2003 Brio on R.C. and Art TV

2001 "Coup de chapeau" TVA. Montréal Qc. (7 min.)

1998 CBC interlude. TV, NB

1997 Trajectoire, Radio Canada (TV 26min)

1995 NB Now By Neil Stairs (TV 6 min.)

12-16-95 The New Brunswick Reader, Saint-John Telegraph

12-05-95 The Daily Gleaner, Fredericton NB

EDUCATION

1973 Visual art at Dalhousie NB High School

1973-75 Architectural technology, NB Community College, Moncton

1980-82 Wood sculpture, NBCC Bathurst by masters from Quebec

1982-96 Various work shops and trainings in:

photography

colors

design

history of art

model sketching painting teaching methods jewelry casting

mold making welding

art casting

metal coloration

Art enriching trips to: Mexico, Central America, Boston,

New York, Chicago, Venice, Florence, Paris, Barcelona and most of Canada.