ARTIST: Don Balke (North Carolina, born 1933)
TITLE: Giraffes Crossing Grassland
YEAR: 1992
MEDIUM: watercolor and gouache on board
CONDITION: Very good.
ART SIZE: 18 x 13 inches / 45 x 33 cm
BOARD SIZE: 20 x 18 inches / 50 x 45 cm
SIGNATURE: lower right
NOTE: This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. Zoo Animals 29? Giraffe stamp issued October 1, 1992. Buzzards soar high above the savannah, searching for carrion. Seeking prey, a cheetah scans the horizon. Lions nap in the afternoon sun, while Cape buffalo seek the coolness of area water holes. Many animals live in Africa, but none more unique than the giraffe. Often called "the animal built by committee," the giraffe looks as if it was put together from spare parts. As ungainly as it may appear, the giraffe is nevertheless one of the most widespread, successful herbivores of the African plains. Its extremely long neck and forelegs allow the giraffe to access foliage beyond the reach of other mammals. It has a tongue that can extend 18 inches to gather food, and plate-sized hooves which it uses as weapons to defend its young. A kick from the front feet of a giraffe can quickly kill a lion. As humans can be identified from their fingerprints, so too, can the giraffe be distinguished by its coat -- each has its own unique pattern. While its senses of hearing and smell are highly developed, the giraffe's most acute sense is sight. Giraffes spend much of their time in the company of zebra, elands and wildebeests, with a mutual "lookout for danger" policy protecting all. With its keen eyesight and high vantage point, the giraffe is often the first to spot approaching danger. Usually only one calf is born to each cow. A giraffe calf at birth may stand six feet tall and weigh 130 pounds, nurses and runs within an hour of its birth.
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[citation needed] 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.