Madeline LeBlanc (b.1998) is a playful artist whose practice consists of drawing, dress-up, film, and painting. Creating in the spur of the moment is how she likes to work best. Her mission as an artist is to create good art that invokes a sense of play, curiosity, nostalgia, or wonder. She creates work from commonly found materials (e.g. bedsheets, pencils, common craft paint, etc.) addressing issues of affordability and exclusiveness in the art world. 

Photo courtesy of Madeline LeBlanc

Madeline has exhibited her work at The Art Gallery of Alberta, The Works International Art & Design Festival, Latitude 53, and various arts organisations. 

She was awarded a full-tuition scholarship to attend Mason Gross School of Arts BFA program at Rutgers University (New Jersey, USA) by American painter Marc Handleman and is a 2022 nominee for the Canadian Sobey Art Award by the University of Alberta Art and Design Department, Aiden Rowe. 

What was your experience on your journey from art classes at ARC to professional artist?

The journey has been a series of unexpected twists and turns (in the best way!). Having my start with art through YESS prepared me for the realness of being an artist as I created with and apprenticed the practice of the YESS artist-in-residence [at the time], Allison Tunis. 

Allison Tunis (left) and Madeline LeBlanc (right) in front of Madeline’s painting which will be hand-embroidered by Allison in a collaboration for Allison’s “Untitled Chronic Illness Project 2021-22

Allison and I had many conversations about art over workshops she held at the Armoury. Learning about her experience from being an art grad to slowly becoming a full-time artist was valuable because I got to learn the ins-and-outs of how to successfully pursue art as a career. Allison taught me how to write art applications and through her I became aware of art organisations in the city. I was lucky to have my first art show with YESS and grateful for the opportunity to take professional art courses through the YESS scholarship program. These opportunities gave me the confidence to be independent.

I do not think I would have had an opportunity of stability and resources in my life to practice art had it not been for YESS. Pursuing art at YESS was meaningful because I got to learn to be myself. I felt a level of support and encouragement that I had not experienced before. The opportunity to be something more than I was came with having access to daily meals, shelter, art supplies, and the direction of Allison and the team.

What is one thing you wish the community knew about youth who access YESS?

There’s a lot of hope. 

I think that sometimes when I tell people that I stayed at YESS they feel sorry for me; although, I don’t look at my time there like that. To me I have a better life because I stayed at YESS. It wasn’t a “step-down” it was a steppingstone to me being able to create a better life. I had a team of people believing in me and cheering me on. I’m thankful for the experience. 

What’s in store for the future?

Curtains! I am working on creating my own line of homeware goods. Turning my artwork into curtains, pillows, duvets, colouring books, and wall art. I’m in the middle of prototyping fabrics and designs. It is fun reimagining how my art is interacted with by giving it a function “off- the-wall” so to speak. 

Madeline’s work with curtains and a mock-up of duvet design “Lita”           

Being on the Board of Directors for YESS, I have had significant exposure over the past three years to the important work that YESS is doing to support Edmonton’s youth, and every time I hear of new initiatives or specific impacts of their work, I am overwhelmed with passion. With a mission to walk beside traumatized youth on their journeys towards healing and appropriate community integration, the opportunity is tremendous, yet complicated.

YESS works collaboratively within a network of care focused on the prevention of youth homelessness. They do this by providing youth with the necessary supports to stabilize their housing, improve their wellbeing, build life skills, connect with community, and avoid re-entry into homelessness. It’s not just about emergency shelter, but so much more. YESS strives to meet youth where they are at and works with them to build a trauma-informed support plan that the youth can understand and own themselves.

Now, outside of my work with YESS, I spend my work life managing change within organizations, and as such have learned a lot about the psychology of how people move through change. It’s most often not straightforward or smooth, and never the same for two people.

I’d like to introduce one model developed by Prosci, a global organization committed to the development and education of change management methodologies and tools. It’s called the ADKAR Model, and it represents the five outcomes every individual needs to achieve for change to be successful. In other words, this model outlines the stages of change that people go through as they adopt change. ADKAR, in its simplest terms, is defined as:

• The first “A” stands for awareness, meaning understanding what needs to happen is the first step in moving an individual through change.
• The “D” represents desire, which suggests that the next step in an individual’s change journey is why they should change, otherwise known as “what’s in it for them.”
• The “K” indicates the stage where knowledge comes into play, and individuals learn how to make a change.
• The second “A” speaks to an individual’s ability to implement new skills and behaviours towards changing.
• Last, the “R” represents the reinforcement required to make a change stick, or what’s needed to sustain a change.

I share with you this model because I think it helps understand youth’s journeys, as well as YESS’ approach to support. The idea behind the model is that people need to move through each stage at their own pace, step by step. Each person spends more or less time within each phase based on their own experiences and abilities. Consider the last change you went through—was it exactly the same for others around you?

And what I have learned in my time working with the YESS team is that the path each youth takes is not clear, straight, simple, or short. It is indeed an individual journey, and when we try to leverage a standard one-size-fits-all model, we fall short. We need to make space for our youth to build trust and find safety in working with YESS, allow them to create their own goals, and craft their own plan to achieve those goals.

And here’s where we see impact: YESS has already created a support model that allows youth to be in charge of their own plan, focusing on what is important to them and allowing the right amount of time to process as they need—an approach that takes time and energy beyond what a one-size-fits-all model might require.

So, putting that into the context of the ADKAR Model, YESS is already doing their part to support youth in their individual change journeys towards healing and community integration, allowing them to address their own unique barriers, in their own time.

Part of why I become a Board Trustee is because I hope we, as a community, can do the same. What I’ve learned through stories of youth who access YESS is that the change process is different for everyone, and every time I think I understand these youth’s experiences, I learn something more. Their journeys are evolving, and so are the perceptions of the community. People are starting to understand the impact of trauma-informed structure and processes, and I am honoured to be part of YESS’ contribution to this awareness building.

From the YESS team: It is our belief that if we give youth safe space, consistent and non-judgemental support and teaching, and the time to choose their own path to success, we can prevent further entrenchment into the cycles of trauma and homelessness.

How can we as a community continue to show up and find new ways to support youth in their unique journeys?