Don Balke (NC,b 1933) gouache painting 133254

Description: ARTIST: Don Balke (North Carolina, born 1933) TITLE: Tundra Muskox YEAR: 2003 MEDIUM: gouache and watercolor on board CONDITION: Very good. ART SIZE: 14 x 13 inches / 35 x 33 cm FRAME SIZE: unframed SIGNATURE: middle left NOTE: This painting originally appeared on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 37c Tunda Muskox Arctic Animals stamp issue of July 2, 2003. Called omingmak -- meaning "the animal with skin like a beard" -- by Inupiaq-speaking Eskimos, the muskox Ovibos moschatus has changed little since the last ice age. Mature bulls average five feet high at the shoulder and weigh up to 800 pounds. During the rut (the annual period of sexual excitement in the males), battles between bull muskoxen become battering contests which are as spectacular as they are violent. After a mutual display of aggression, two bulls charge at top speed directly towards one another from distances of 50 yards or more, colliding squarely on their horns. Incredibly, the sound created by this tremendous impact may be heard from up to a mile away. Following a clash, the competitors back up, swinging their heads from side to side, and then repeat the sequence until one bull runs away. A battle may consist of 20 clashes -- each with a force equivalent to that of an automobile slamming into a concrete wall at 17 miles per hour. Luckily for them, bull muskoxen boast heavily armored skulls to protect them from the intense shock of impact; four inches of horn and another three inches of solid bone lie directly between the animal's brain and the area of contact. After muskoxen disappeared from Alaska in the 1800s, a transplant population of some thirty specimens was brought from East Greenland to Alaska's Nunivak Island in the 1930s. Today, thanks to conservation efforts, close to 3,000 muskoxen roam free in Alaska. PROVENANCE: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. LOCATION: This lot is located at our Dania Beach, FL office. CATEGORY: old antique vintage painting for auction sale online AD: ART WANTED: Consign, Trade In, Cash Offer SKU#: 133254 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. CLICK HERE TO ADD ME TO YOUR FAVOURITE SELLERS LIST.Our prices are based on the value of the artwork by itself. Frames are free and any frame imperfections, damages and condition overall is not a reason for discounts, refunds or returns.If an item is listed like USED it can be dirty.All measurements are given approximately. We pack everything very professionally . 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Price: 499 USD

Location: Dania, Florida

End Time: 2024-12-15T23:24:28.000Z

Shipping Cost: 49 USD