Leigh Ryan
Professional Member
Location: 50 Guthrie Ave, North Geelong VIC 3215
Born in Geelong, Australia, and raised in Bannockburn, Leigh is an illustrator, animator, and author. Intelligent, driven, and genuinely passionate about the creative process, Leigh thrives on the possibilities that arise when embarking on new projects.
Leigh’s portfolio includes work for notable commercial clients such as Toyota, Coca-Cola, and Aeroplane Jelly, alongside contributions to animated TV shows for Galaxy Pop (Get Ace), Working Dog (Pacific Heat), Moose Toys (The Grossery Gang), and Zuru Toys (Smashers - Series One).
In 2017, Leigh founded Pillowfort Creative, a Geelong-based studio. Over seven years, Pillowfort Creative enabled Leigh to leverage his fifteen years of industry experience across a wide range of innovative projects for local, national, and international clients. A standout accomplishment during this period was the creation of the Meet Orby app for the Geelong Gallery. Installed at the Gallery, the app featured an animated avatar designed to entertain and inform visiting children. In 2022, the app was expanded with an "At Home" version, allowing users to display pieces from the Gallery’s collection at home, accompanied by Orby.
Leigh also authored and illustrated the kids’ book series Big Crow and Little Pumpkin—a labour of love born from a desire to impress his children. Although the enthusiasm waned after the twelfth book, the series remains a testament to his versatility.
Early in his career, Leigh had a memorable moment of embarrassment on live national radio in the presence of celebrated radio host Waleed Aly and Oscar-winning animator Adam Elliot. He hopes, one day, to write a novel about the experience—though perhaps destined only to burn it.
