by Dawn Stevens

A portrait is a mysterious thing.

How can brush strokes on canvas come together to create a perfect likeness of a person? How can the careful observations of a painter’s art manifest the emotions, character and conviction of the person being painted? In the case of painter Billy Ledet, it has just as much to do with the artist.

A self-portrait of Ledet reveals an artist who is deeply devoted to family,
to God and to bringing out the best in others through the portraits he paints and the friendships he forms through art.

Born and raised in Thibodaux, Ledet, 74, first discovered his love of art and portraits at 12 when he began sketching superheroes from the comic books he read. One year later, he left to study the priesthood at St. Joseph Abbey in Covington. Although Ledet chose not to enter the priesthood, his time at St. Joseph had a major impact on his life and his love of painting. While there, he was able to watch and study as a Benedictine monk painted portraits of the saints on the walls of the Abbey church. “He would explain to me how he did his paintings,” says Ledet. “It was the only real instruction I ever had.”

Not long after moving back to Thibodaux, Ledet decided to try his hand at painting. “I remembered what the old monk had told me, and I bought a set of watercolors.” That is when his love of portraits began. “What fascinated me is that every portrait is different,” he said. “You are looking at a person and trying to create a true likeness.”

After serving in Korea with the U.S. Army where he was considered the base artist, Ledet took on a job working at a bank in Thibodaux. During this time his art was mainly a hobby. Occasionally he would paint a portrait or mural to earn extra money for his growing family. “We always struggled money wise. Things were hard, but my painting always seemed to help when we needed,” Ledet says.

At 65, Ledet retired from the bank and began his career as a full-time artist. Ledet says, “I came home and told Ferdi (his wife), ‘The good Lord is telling me it’s time to do my painting every day.’ I really believed it was going to work out, and it has.”

Although Ledet paints mostly portraits, he loves painting in all aspects and enjoys many different media, including religious art and landscapes. Second to portraits, he is probably best known in south Louisiana for painting murals which can be found in numerous churches, schools and restaurants, including E.D. White Catholic High School, St. Joseph Elementary School and Our Lady of Prompt Succor Catholic Church in Chackbay. Ledet’s paintings have also won numerous awards. Most recently he received first place for a self-portrait in a competition held by the Terrebonne Fine Arts Guild.

Painting is a talent Ledet feels was given to him by God, and, as such, he loves sharing it with others. “It is a great joy to see people’s reactions. To me, it is something I can do to give back to people who have done for me,” Ledet says.

Today, Ledet stays very busy with his work. Between painting commissioned portraits and large scale murals, he also teaches portrait-painting classes twice a week. Teaching has become a great joy for Ledet. Recalling when a student received an award for a painting of her own, Ledet says, “She had a huge smile on her face, and I thought, ‘That’s what it’s all about.’”

He also is thankful for the relationships teaching and working in art has afforded him. “The people are fantastic people, and they’ve become good friends, and it’s art that brings us together,” says Ledet. PoV