ARTIST: Don Balke (North Carolina, born 1933)
TITLE: Bird - Scarlet Tanager
YEAR: 1979
MEDIUM: gouache and watercolor on board
CONDITION: Some inpainting by the lower edge.
ART SIZE: 10 x 10 inches / 25 x 25 cm
BOARD SIZE: 18 x 18 inches / 45 x 45 cm
SIGNATURE: lower right
NOTE: This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood Birds and Flowers of the Meadow and Garden Collection "Scarlet Tanager and Blue Columbine" porcelain plate. The brilliant Scarlet Tanager male enlivens the summer scenery with lush, flame red feathers perfectly accented by the sooty black of its wings and tail. These beautiful birds spend much of their time in the very tops of trees high above the forest floor. There they move freely, though rather sluggishly, in search of berries and the leaf-eating insects on which they dine. Because of their preference for lofty heights, Scarlet Tanagers are seldom seen except when lured by cool, clean water for bathing. Aside from these rare appearances on the ground, this striking bird's presence is generally marked only by its hoarse song. In fact, often the woodland hiker will hear the Scarlet Tanager before he sees it. To pinpoint its exact location, the hiker often must walk past the bird's perch, listening here and there, before finally discovering the source of the telltale rasping song. A bit husky in tone, the Scarlet Tanager's call has been described as sounding like "a robin with a sore throat." Nonetheless, it is a song which gladdens those who listen for it. Come fall, the Scarlet Tanager molts, exchanging his brilliant summer plumage for the olive-green coloring of his mate. Then it is time to join the flock as they migrate, under cover of darkness, to the warmer climates of South America. But, in spring, they will return to fill the tops of the forest foliage with color and song.
PROVENANCE: 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.