Don Balke is best known for his watercolor scenic oil paintings and wildlife art. He’s an American artist, who grew up in northern Wisconsin on a small farm. Balke was the youngest of 10 children, and he grew in a family that was completely dependent on the land; they used crosscut saws for logging; tapped trees to make maple syrup; and horses for their farm work. They also raised crops as a source of income and for themselves. His upbringing instilled in him a love of wildlife and nature, and he started working on art at a very young age. In fact, he received his first art award while he was in an elementary school. A Wisconsin state sponsored the art contest. In this contest Balke presented a painting of a black bear wandering in the woods.
Balke served in the United States Army and after the service, he married Schernick Barbara and they moved to Chicago. Here he enrolled in the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (formerly, the Academy of Fine Arts). While at the Academy, Balke specialized in still-life paintings. Immediately after his graduation, he was hired by a Chicago studio as an illustrator. He eventually decided to move back to Wisconsin where he worked as a commercial art director. Some of his notable works include Animals of the 50 States, Wildlife of the 50 States, Trees of the 50 States, Songbirds of the 50 States, and Birds and Flowers of Canada. He has won many awards for his work as an illustrator and art director.
