WEBINAR: Playful Flexibility: The Key to Building a Career that Lasts
Sep 17, 2026
Online event
The path to publication is rarely straight. Join illustrator Linda Bleck to discover how flexibility, persistence, and a little playfulness can build a creative career that lasts.
Playful Flexibility: The Key to Building a Career that Lasts
A lasting creative career isn't built on a single breakthrough—it's built on resilience, reinvention, and the willingness to embrace unexpected opportunities. In this inspiring webinar, illustrator Linda Bleck looks back on four decades as an illustrator, designer, and creator, sharing how flexibility helped her navigate industry changes, personal challenges, and the winding road to children's publishing. From being told her artwork was "too sophisticated" for children's books, to spending twenty years as a nationally recognized editorial illustrator, to returning to children's publishing and eventually finding new success in books, products, and licensing, Linda's journey is proof that there is no one "right" path.
Through candid stories of rejection, persistence, career pivots, health setbacks, and surprising opportunities—including how a simple personal message on Instagram led to an exciting partnership with eeBoo—Linda will encourage creators to think beyond a single definition of success. Whether you're just beginning your publishing journey or looking for ways to adapt to the next chapter of your career, you'll leave with practical encouragement and a renewed appreciation for the power of staying playful, remaining flexible, and trusting that every twist in the road can lead somewhere worthwhile.
Illustrators and writers will be inspired and encouraged by this webinar.
The recording of the webinar will be available for thirty (30) days.
Speaker Information
Speaker Information
Linda Bleck is an award-winning illustrator, author, and designer based in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area. She received her training as a graphic designer from the University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana in 1987. While she received her BA in design, she concentrated many hours of study to fine art and experimented with all mediums. She is best known for her whimsical yet sophisticated children's book illustrations and editorial artwork, she has written and illustrated over 20 books and created art for major publications such as Wall Street Journal and Time Inc Publishing. In the past 7 years she shifted into product development and children’s product illustration . She currently has forged a long standing relationship with Eeboo, a woman owned toy and giftware company based in NYC and Massachusetts. Her philosophy of design and illustration continues to be, "You can never stop developing and learning.” This humble motto has allowed her to grow and enhance her styles over the years and adapt to the changing markets. Her career has spanned all disciplines of illustration: editorial, children’s books, product design, packaging, corporate collateral materials, and children’s product design.