5 minute read
Art Imitating Life
Meet artist Jerome LeBlanc, ready to prompt double-takes at the 2024 Coronado Art & Wine Festival
This is not Tom Cruise. This is a Maverick lookalike. Your brain knows this, so why does meeting him feel like you’re taking a 1500mph thrill ride in an F14?
Walking down Orange Avenue heads turn, faces light up, even hardened military men in real deal flight suits revert to the wide-eyed kid who first watched Top Gun back in 1986, perhaps recalling that fledgling desire to become a fighter pilot.
Initially I put it down to the teeth, so dazzling you’re the one reaching for the Ray Bans, then I suspect the costume precision, from aviator patches to ornate cowboy boots. But then Jerome speaks, revealing a soft French-Canadian accent (he was raised on a dairy farm in Quebec) and instead of throwing you off, it is an unexpected bonus! The truth is, it’s his impeccable manners and sincerity that have you wondering if a certain A-list action hero cast him as a goodwill ambassador…
The Need for Caffeine
Today Jerome is sipping a triple espresso in a red Fiat 850 convertible at Garage Buona Forchetta, commenting how much his kids - Violet (4), Monty (2) and new baby Avalon Rose - would love this novel take on drive-in dining.
The garage setting is a home from home for Jerome - he has converted his own 3-car unit into an art studio filled with aerial photography and automobile portraits, from vintage Porsches to luxe Lamborghinis. “I first got into painting around age 12, then studied to be an architect. Now the older I get the more I find myself drawn to abstract styles. I usually have two or three canvases on the go, each taking me in different directions.’ Jerome will be displaying a full range of artworks on Saturday May 11th as part of the Coronado Art & Wine Festival and, as one of four Featured Artists, he will be spotlighted at the Meet The Artists Party the night before. This exclusive evening event is open to guests who book a special hotel room package, starting at $440 for a 2-night stay at Glorietta Bay Inn, including $700-value Diamond VIP All Access festival tickets! ➜
As we head to Clayton’s Coffee Shop, prompting much jukebox swooning, Jerome shares that he is an introvert by nature and initially found himself drained by the lookalike life. “I needed to find a way to ‘bring back that loving feeling’ and that happened when I realized the true pleasure for me was not about the attention I was receiving, but the ability I had to put a smile on people’s faces. Now I find posing for selfies energizing!’
But his true superpower is his wife Nicole. “Not Kidman!” He jokes, recalling how they fell in love at first sight on Hollywood Boulevard, when he was a Maverick street performer. “July marks ten years together! We were two people who didn’t have anyone believing in us but when we joined forces we were able to nourish and encourage each other,” he beams. “She has brought everything in my life to the next level.’
A great example of this came during the Covid lockdown - suddenly Jerome was having to return all the deposits for canceled live events, including regular stints on the USS Midway. At a loss for how to move forward, Nicole encouraged him to zone in on social media and helped him soar from 600 local followers to an astounding 150,000 worldwide. He now sends personal video messages to Top Gun fans from Germany to Jordan. But nowhere is closer to his heart than Coronado.
Island Life
“I’ve had romantic stays at the Hotel Del with Nicole, big family vacations with my New Jersey in-laws at El Cordova, participated in the iconic Fourth of July Parade, last year with my brotherin-law as Iceman!” He pauses to share photos of his custom built floats, one featuring a volleyball scene, then confides. "My biggest dream is to have a msall art gallery here in the island. I travel a lot for airshow appearances and I want to spend more time enjoying my family - the chhildren grow up so fast. I want to be at home painting and creating with them.' He looks out onto the onto the street where his art booth will appear over Mother's day Weekend in May and sighs happily. 'Being selected as a Featured Artist for the Coronado Art & Wine Festival feels like a step closer to creating my own dream life.'
Instagram: @jeromeblanc_art
@californiatomcruise and #coronadoartandwinefestival
Enjoy more pics at visitcoronado.com
CORONADO ART & WINE FESTIVAL
Saturday May 11th, 2024
A collaboration between Coronado Schools Foundation and Coronado Chamber of Commerce, sponsored by Discover Coronado.
Visit Coronadoartandwinefestival.com
The Coronado Chamber of Commerce invites you to the 38th Annual Salute to the Military Ball at the Hotel Del Coronado on Saturday April 6th, 2024. Tickets available at Eventbrite
