Kelseyville >> “Art is a part of me,” said Jack Ballance. “I’m the happiest when I’m painting.”
An artist for over 40 years, Ballance began drawing and painting at the age of 12. At the San Francisco Academy of Art he studied illustration and painting. He then completed the Famous Artists Course in Westport, Connecticut. Drawing on this extensive experience, Ballance will bring a wealth of knowledge to students of his upcoming biweekly art classes at the Kelseyville Senior Center.
Anyone interested in the classes can attend an orientation at the senior center tomorrow. It’s an opportunity for artists to get a feel for Ballance’s teaching as much as it’s a chance for Ballance to see exactly what his students hope to take away from the class. “I can get an idea of what people are looking for in their art career then I can tailor my classes to fill that need,” he explained.
Many art courses are structured from the beginning, with clear cut lesson plans intended for a specific students. Ballance plans to depart from the traditional teaching approach. Though the class is intended for painters, and Ballance will provide demonstrations using primarily oils, any artist can participate, whether they work with watercolor, pastel, oils or acrylics. However, anyone searching for abstract art instruction might want to look elsewhere — Ballance focuses on realism.
Students also need not have much, if any, art experience. While it’s not intended for children, anyone with an interest in painting is encouraged to attend the orientation and decide for themselves if the class is appropriate for them. Beginners will receive instruction in the basics of painting, while the needs of more advanced students will be addressed as well.
This class is a change from one Ballance offered at the senior center six years ago, where he went into detail about mixing color and materials. It ran for three years and was popular with the local art community. “That class was very successful and it kind of sharpened my approach to teaching,” he said.
Although he will discuss color, composition and other technical aspects essential to painting, Ballance will also focus heavily on finding ideas and inspiration. Then he’ll teach students how to replicate that inspiration on paper or canvas through plein air presentation, photography and pencil sketching. “The class will be mainly on composing good ideas,” Ballance said. “It’ll be a fun class.”
And as a long-time artist, Ballance has experience showing work in galleries up and down the west coast, which makes him a good resource for students who wish to promote and sell their work.
Ballance is no stranger to understanding what it takes to create a compelling painting. Mostly, it involves a heavy dose of planning in the initial stages. He often stumbles upon inspiration when he’s not looking for it, like driving to and from Lakeport — the hill overlooking Kelseyville Lumber is always a sure bet for some beautiful landscapes. Pulling the car to the side of the road, Ballance will whip out his camera for a photo or complete a quick pencil sketch of the rolling vineyards. If he’s really feeling inspired, he might even paint a fast plein air. It’s not until he returns to his studio that he sets up his easel to go to work on one of his paintings.
Before moving to Lake County to be closer to his children, Ballance lived in Oregon, where he had his first taste of teaching after the director of an adult education center saw his paintings in a gallery. Though he was happy for the opportunity to teach, Ballance didn’t anticipate just how much he would fall in love with sharing his wisdom, forming friendships and finding an art community. “It’s a wonderful experience. Before I ever taught I had no idea I would get that much out of it,” he said. “They say that instructors learn a lot from their students and it’s a true thing.”
Much like teaching, Ballance didn’t plan to become as immersed in painting as he has. When he enrolled at the Academy of Art he fully intended to pursue a career as a magazine illustrator. But while he was in school, television took the place of romance and adventure magazines, effective killing the market Ballance wanted to enter. Not wanting to give up art, he turned to painting. He’s been standing behind the easel since.
“I love to see my ideas come to fruition on a canvas,” he said. “An artist sees things that an average person doesn’t see. Most people look but they don’t see what they’re looking at. An artist is trained to see.”
Those interested in Ballance’s class, which will be offered the first and third Fridays of each month, should attend the orientation tomorrow at the Kelseyville Senior Center from 9:30 a.m. -12:30 p.m. Attendees don’t need to bring art supplies but should come equipped with a pencil and notebook to take down information. Contact Patty Oates at 263-8909 for more information. The Kelseyville Senior Center is located at 5245 3rd St.
Jennifer Gruenke can be reached at 900-2019.
