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| "Siren's Song" Original Sculpture by Joan Baliker |
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| "Peace" Original Sculpture by Joan Baliker |
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| "Amma - The Hugging Saint" Original Sculpture by Joan Baliker |
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| Joan Baliker |
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Joan Baliker
Rembrandtz Art Gallery, St Augustine, Florida
Every once in a while, you meet someone who radiates a powerful sense of kindness, warmth and tolerant understanding. A lucky and disciplined few infuse their artwork with this mastery, and even without words, the artwork speaks to the viewer; transcending verbal communication and touching our hearts. Joan's artistry is powerfully evocative of unity, peace and tolerance.
The first time I met Joan, I ended up spending over two hours touring her studio, listening to her journey as an artist, and learning about her techniques. I can tell you that with the busy gallery schedule, a two hour tour is not something I often have time to enjoy. But it was a very interesting afternoon and the time slipped by before either of us knew it. Joan is involved in so many worthy causes, and has so many engaging life stories. Her work and her life are illuminating, inspiring and worth taking the time to learn about. I am genuinely so happy to share her work with you during her "Kindred Spirits" exhibit. I hope you will come out and enjoy this evening in order to meet Joan Baliker. Her work will be featured the month of October, 2009 at Rembrandtz Art Gallery in Saint Augustine.
Kimberly
About the Artist:
When she graduated from Chicago’s American Academy of Art in 1949, heading to her first job as a color consultant in a decorating and design studio, she might not have believed that forty years later she would pursue a far different kind of art career. A few years later, as the bride of a military man, she began the journeys that allowed her to experience a great variety of different cultures and artistic forms. Her husband’s postings took them to military bases around the world, enhancing her interest in art. She studied Hawaiian Sumi painting, pastel portraiture, and acrylic and watercolor painting over the years. She also developed an interest in, and respect for, the cultural and religious rituals that were hallmarks of each place the family called home.
After their final stop landed them in Florida, Joan began assisting her son Paul as he built his career in sculpture that soon rose to a national reputation. She adopted clay sculpture as her medium of expression, and fused it with her growing interest in the commonality of cultures.
In 2001, after pursuing religious studies, she became an Interfaith minister, which she describes as "one who follows her own path, but honors the paths of others." She utilizes her bronze sculpture to help us to consider our neighbors and ourselves as "Kindred Spirits" - the name she has selected for her collection of figures of spiritual role models. It is her hope that by exhibiting these sculptures as a group, they will become examples of humanity’s common ground and will lead to a greater understanding of the spiritual paths of others.
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