ARTIST: Don Balke (North Carolina, born 1933)
TITLE: Ground Squirrel
YEAR: 2003
MEDIUM: gouache and watercolor on board
CONDITION: Very good.
ART SIZE: 7 x 6 inches / 17 x 15 cm
BOARD SIZE: 14 x 13 inches / 35 x 33 cm
SIGNATURE: lower left
NOTE: This painting originally appeared on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 37c Ground Squirrel Arctic Animals stamp issue of July 2, 2003. The arctic ground squirrel Spermophilus parryii was nicknamed "tsik-tsik" by Alaska's Inupiat Eskimos because of the distinctive call it makes to warn other squirrels of nearby predators, even using different variations to warn of different kinds of predators. It usually feeds around high noon, often stuffing its cheeks full of leaves or seeds (Spermophilus means "lover of seeds") to take back to its den for future snacking. Since summer daylight is continuous and very little tundra vegetation exists to provide cover from predators, the "tsik-tsik" keeps a low profile, traveling with its body pressed closely to the ground in a movement known as "tundra glide." In preparation for fall hibernation, it fattens up on flowers, seeds, mushrooms and berries, nearly doubling its body weight over the summer months. The arctic ground squirrel also stores food in its burrow to ensure that when it awakes from its seven-month nap it has something to eat while waiting for spring plants to grow. During hibernation, its body temperature drops from 98.6? F to an incredibly cold 26.4? F -- the lowest known body temperature of any living mammal! In a feat which continues to mystify modern science, this amazing creature allows the temperature of its body fluids to drop below freezing without crystallizing into ice and causing major tissue damage. During the long winter, this impressive rodent will periodically rouse itself -- briefly raising its body temperature by more than 70? F in just four hours.
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.