ARTIST: Don Balke (North Carolina, 1933 - ???)
TITLE: Bird - Lilac-breasted Roller Bird
YEAR: 1989
MEDIUM: gouache and watercolor on board
CONDITION: Minor damage to upper left corner of board.
ART SIZE: 20 x 18 inches / 50 x 45 cm
FRAME SIZE: unframed (In-House framing available)
SIGNATURE: lower left
NOTE: This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the International Audubon Fund Uganda Lilac-breasted Roller stamp issued November 2, 1987. The multihued Lilac-breasted Roller is a showy, noisy, but nevertheless frequently shy bird -- birdwatchers of Uganda must sometimes be alert to spot one, especiallly during nesting season. The name "Roller" comes from the spectacular and noisy aerobatics this species indulges in on occasion: the Roller's command of the air is total, with a favorite manuever being a skyward soar followed by a long tumbling, rolling pitch back to earth. Another characteristic: Lilac-breasted Rollers will travel long distances to feed on the insects and lizards scared up by a grass fire. But at least when their owner is sitting still, it is the Lilac-breasted Roller's magnificently colored feathers that inspire the most attention. Green, brown, violet, pale greenish blue, lilac, white, black, greenish yellow -- the Lilac-breasted Roller is an attention-getting patchwork of many hues. As one might expect with plumage like that, the nest is hidden out of sight, usually in an inaccessible hole in the stump of a tree or palm.
PROVENANCE: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation.
CATEGORY: old antique vintage painting for auction sale online
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BIOGRAPHY:
Balke, the youngest of ten children, grew up on a farm in northern backcountry of Wisconsin. His family was completely dependent on the land; they tapped trees to make maple syrup; used crosscut saws for logging and horses for their farmwork; they raised crops for themselves and as income. His upbringing instilled in him a love of nature and wildlife. He received his first art award in a Wisconsin state-sponsored art contest while at elementary school for a painting of a black bear roaming in the woods. After serving in the US Army, he married Barbara Schernick and they moved to Chicago where he enrolled in the Academy of Fine Arts, now known as the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. During his time at the Academy, he specialized in still-life paintings. After graduating, he was hired by a Chicago illustrating studio and eventually moved back to Wisconsin where he worked as a commercial art director. He won many awards for his work as an art director and illustrator. On his own time, late in the night, he painted and developed his skills as a wildlife artist. After 17 years, he left his work as an art director to devote himself completely to watercolors and wildlife art. By 1979, they had six children and a home in the village of Thiensville, Wisconsin. Balke's love of nature took him to the NC mountains where he bought 200 acres in McDowell County and built a home. In 1985, a gallery was added and the Don Balke Wildlife Gallery was opened. In 1987, his work was chosen as the illustration for the official NC Zoo poster. In 1992, the United States Post Office issued a series of first-class postage stamps portraying five different species of hummingbirds designed by Balke. Balke travels to Africa, Australia, Ireland, the Caribbean, and across the 50 United States for inspiration and research. His wife, Barbara Schernick Balke, does extensive research on the animals and their habitats in preparation for the paintings and does much of the photography on research trips. He is best known for his detailed and realistic watercolor paintings portraying wildlife in their natural environment. In 2000, he transitioned to a more impressionistic style with oils portraying scenes from Yosemite National Park in California, Ocracoke Island on the Outer Banks, and Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina.