ARTIST: Don Balke (North Carolina, born 1933)
TITLE: Black-bellied Whistling Duck
MEDIUM: gouache and watercolor on board
CONDITION: Very good.
ART SIZE: 11 x 13 inches / 27 x 33 cm
BOARD SIZE: 18 x 20 inches / 45 x 50 cm
SIGNATURE: lower right
PROVENANCE: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation.
NOTE: This painting originally appeared on the Fleetwood Commemorative Cover for the Waterbirds of the 50 States Texas/Black-bellied Whistling Duck. Nearly invisible under leafy cover, the Black-bellied Whistling Ducks perch straight and still. Then suddenly the birds burst into the air, wings a-flutter, filling the air with loud, clear whistles of pe-che-che-ne. Seen from below, the birds' unusually large wings match their black bellies in color. It is this black belly that earned these tree ducks their name. Although named for this black puffed-up belly, this goose-like bird is actually more noted for his coral bill, cinnamon-brown crown and long pink legs. When flying over a feeding place -- a marsh or shallow pond -- the birds brake for a landing, gangling necks and long legs angled toward the water. Wading in the shallow water, they snip their favorite weed and grass seeds for their meal. The slightest disturbance immediately ends their hunt and the birds -- no great swimmers -- head for the woods. In Mexico, where the Black-bellied Whistling Duck abounds and reputedly destroys much grain, he is known as poto maizal, the Cornfield Duck. In the brush country of Texas, the bird can also be found. There, mated birds incubate their twelve to sixteen cream-white eggs in cavities of elms, willows, and other trees. When it comes time for the downy ducklings to leave their comfortable dwelling, they tumble to the ground and follow their parents to the water. Later, at summer's end when cold winds signal winter's arrival, the Black-bellied Whistling Ducks will leave Texas and head south to a warmer home.
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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.