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Nina Balas
Painter, Illustrator (Jerrabomberra NSW)

Living and growing up in the beautiful far south coast of NSW, Nina considered herself very lucky. She describes her teenage years as being both hectic working in the family building business and relaxed with a freedom to explore the bushland and beaches on her doorstep.

It was after a horse riding accident and spare time on her hands that she began to explore different possibilities with her painting. Talented as a child her art experience till then had mainly been sketching and drawing with coloured pencils, and she still owns her original Derwent set. Her subjects were her animals’, family portraits of friends and her favourite beaches. Later when she travelled to Darwin she became fascinated by the huge contrast in colours and has never forgotten these early outback travels. Her chosen medium shifted from coloured pencils to oils with some work in pastels, but they were a disappointment to her at that time.

Living in France for the last five years only fuelled her desire for the appreciation of all styles of artists. She has always been a realist painter but there are examples sprinkled in her work of a more frantic style of painting. This happen quite by accident after completing several quick sketches in preparation for larger works. It is particularly interesting with her nudes and she has deliberately left then that way. She quickly found that some people liked this style better than too much realism.

However, some of her more recent work especially with horses borders on hyper-realism and when asked how she has managed to achieve an almost photographic look she struggles with the answer. There is never one factor alone which contributes to this, but is something that invariably develops as the painting progresses. "If I like the way the picture is going then I will work it harder whilst others I will stop. This is especially true when you are working with a mass of fur, such as with my wolves."

Pastel is now her essential medium and she has found that working with a Master Pastellist in France she was not only able to explore many possibilities with pastels but also a mixed media technique as well. This can create some exciting effects almost like a 3D effect and pastels love nothing better than to grab onto anything that has a bit of tooth.

"So many different subjects appeal to me. Landscapes, seascapes portraits of animals and people I know. Everything is paintable if the lighting is right. It’s the light that hits the fur at the right time and shines with a gloss that is magic. Whether my paintings are realistic or a bit frantic, I want to capture the beauty and harmony of colour and light."

In 2010 Nina achieved her dream of having a solo exhibition in France. It was made sweeter by the fact that it had an all Australian flavour." I worked all of 2009 on theme sets of Aussie icons, such as outback pubs I had visited, indigenous portraits and our diversity of landscapes from the wets of Kadadu to the dry red outback landscapes. I not only had my personal ambition of a solo exhibition in France but was able to showcase Australia to the French people. I was particularly happy that some of those paintings will remain in France amongst some more traditional European artists."

Nina also went on to achieve a 1st and 2nd prize in her pastel works with wolves and horses, as well as being accepted in many “pastel only” exhibitions.

For information on how to purchase or commission Nina's work, please contact her below or call 0487 341 580 during business hours. Gallery enquiries welcome.

Contact Nina Balas
Visit Nina Balas's website

Awards and Achievements
1st Prize Pastel Ezsines Art 2010, Bordeaux.
2nd Prize Pastel Couleurs et Matieres 2010, Bordeaux Saint-Augustin.
Recommande Salon du Pastel en Bretagne.

Exhibitions and Events
Solo Exhibtition Gallery Rolland, Bordeaux 3 Feb – 19 Feb 2010
Aquitaine – Blanquefort Nov 2009
Aquittaine – Blanquefort Nov 2010
Union Artistique d’Eysines Art 2010
Couleurs et Matieres, Saint-Augustin 2010
Salon du Pastel en Bretagne Fougeres 2010

Member of Salon National des Artistes Animaliers, Bry-Sur-Marne