Lily Pad Gallery | Artist of the Week

Artist of the Week 3

Andre Balyon

Born in 1951 in The Hague, Netherlands, studying under many of the native masters in Holland by the age of 15, Andre Balyon creates oil landscapes and scenes that take influence from the importance of the sky and its importance in the world, captured on canvas or otherwise

Balyon feels very much inspired by artists such as George Inness and John Singer Sargent.

“I feel that we, the living artists, are very fortunate to learn from, and be inspired by the many artists, styles, and art movements of the past. It is astonishing to know that artists before the 15th Century knew little about drawing and painting perspective. It has been a true evolution ever since. We are standing on the shoulders of the great masters.”
-Andy Newman

Andre Balyon | Summer Showers | oil | 18 x 26

“I love to paint the Dutch countryside. Growing up near the coastline, I felt the moisture-saturated air. I remember my mother telling me to look at clouds. Just look and observe the clouds, it’s a humbling experience.”
-Andre Balyon

Andre Balyon | A Winter’s Day in the Country | oil | 30 x 40

Balyon was asked to consult for the artists creating backgrounds in oil for motion picture animations, as well as having done exhibitions across the United States and Europe. In 1994, Balyon was approached by the Walk Disney Company and was asked to assist and instruct a large number of Disney’s background artists on oil painting techniques used for the sky part of the animated motion picture The Lion King.

Balyon’s work is currently on display in Aspen, CO; Carmel and Pal Desert, CA; Watch Hill, RI; Milwaukee WI; and Fredericksburg, TX. He currently resides in California, where he continues projects, including recently publishing a book and continued work on paintings large and small.