The art of Madeleine LeBrun will worm its way into your heart

Every month, we feature a new take on the CBC Arts logo created by a Canadian artist. Check out our previous logos!

You've probably seen this quote somewhere: "every child is an artist." And while most little Emmas and Ethans don't have the talent, discipline, or drive to keep at it past their tween years, every kid loves to play. And Madeleine LeBrun is an artist who's never given up on fun. 

Based in Toronto, LeBrun works as an illustrator, and her medium of choice — plasticine — can be found in most kindergarten classrooms. Her CBC Arts logo design is inspired by kids returning to school — and the changing seasons too. "I tend to walk everywhere and pay close attention to my natural surroundings: birds and insects, flowerbeds, a pretty leaf on the ground, etc. Then later when I'm doodling in my sketchbook, those little shapes and motifs will find their way into my drawings, and ultimately into my finished projects," she writes. She told us more about her work over email.

Name: Madeleine LeBrun

Age: 32

Homebase: Toronto

Let's talk about your logo! What are we looking at?

We're looking at a mushroom-dwelling caterpillar taking in the beauty of fall. He's sort of a throwback to that bookworm-in-an-apple character you see at this time of year.

What inspired the concept?

A few years ago on Labour Day weekend, my sister and I found a huge mushroom in the woods. To gross her out, I took a bite and spit it out — but the joke was on me because the mushroom was full of worms! 

Fall is mushroom season in Ontario, but it's back-to-school season too. The concept is sort of a conflation of two themes in my artwork: nature and childhood. 

What mediums did you use? How would you describe your process?

My process has roughly four stages: drawing, sculpting, photography and editing. I tape a sketch behind a big pane of plexiglass and sculpt with plasticine on top of it. Then, I collage everything together in Photoshop. I use Photoshop for colour too; this is usually the very last step. 

How long have you been working with plasticine? Why do you love it?

I've been working with plasticine for about three years now. There are so many reasons to love it: it's versatile, cheap, not very messy, and can be reused over and over. But unsurprisingly, I mostly love it for the same reason kids love it: it's fun! Using a tactile medium really stimulates my creativity.

What's new in your world? What are you working on these days?

Lately I've been feeling the pull to try something new, so I'm dipping a toe into animation. I'm working on a project using the strata-cut technique, where every slice in a long loaf of coloured clay becomes an animation frame. It's fun to experiment with plasticine in a novel way. 

What's the project you're most proud of?

Weirdly, the one that comes to mind didn't involve clay! Last spring, I started making airbrush-stencilled butterfly T-shirts. I had a good response at markets and such, so I kept making them. I see people wearing them in the wild from time to time and it's always nice to see someone enjoying something I made. 

What's your favourite place to see art?

The Plumb is an artist-run gallery in west-end Toronto. They show a lot of emerging artists and make great use of this huge basement space, so the shows there are always really special and unique. 

Who's the last artist you discovered online?

I recently followed Julianna Biernacki (@julianna.the.artist) and I'm in love with her rugs and tufted sculptures.

What work of art do you wish you owned?

I'd love to own one of Alexander Calder's huge mobiles, but I'd probably hit my head on it a lot in my apartment. 

Where can we see more from you?

I'm @haricot_jones on Instagram, or there's my website (www.madeleinelebrun.com).

This conversation has been edited and condensed.