Meadowlark Gallery: The Artist Biographies

Lee LeBlanc (1913-1988)

Lee LeBlanc was born on October 5, 1913 in Powers, Michigan and died in 1988. Beginning in early childhood and continuing throughout his entire life, art has been Lee's major interest. In 1931, after graduating from high school in Iron River, Michigan, he went to Los Angeles and spent a year studying art at Frank Wiggins Trade School. He left Los Angeles and headed for New York hoping to find work as a commercial artist. Philadelphia allowed him to tend bar for three years to pay for more art lessons. During that time he attended LaFrance Art Institute. In New York he landed a job as a staff illustrator for the New York Journal. In his off hours he attended the Art Students League and studied under Will Foster. In 1937, Lee returned to Los Angeles where he found employment with Western Lithography as a commercial artist. Later he joined Walt Disney's staff at the staggering salary of $10.00 per week. An offer of higher pay took him to the cartoon firms of Merry Melodies and Looney Tunes. In 1955, his wife, Helene, lost the fight against a long term illness, leaving him with a sixteen year old daughter. In 1962, he married Lucille Hayworth. He left Twentieth Century Fox Studios Matte Painting Department after many years, and applied for jobs at several other studios for the sole purpose of heading a department. He finally landed the position as Head of the Matte Painting Department at MGM when Alfred Newcomb retired. In 1973, he won the Open National Competition for the Federal Duck Stamp Design with his "Stellar's Eider."

Special appreciation to Deirdre LeBlanc for the review of our biography.

View high resolution images of works by Lee LeBlanc when available.