Artist in Focus: David Ballinger
David Ballinger is perhaps Ugallery's most mysterious artist. He has a slew of YouTube videos of him creating (this one has 77K views!), but all of them are shot from behind. We never see David's face. The photo above is as close as we can get. Beyond his own mysterious image, much of his work tricks the eye. His series of optical art combines two scenes into one. Take a look at the Muhammad Ali piece below - can you see both pieces?
We sat down with David in hopes of teasing out more about him, and learning more about the unique media and processes he uses to create his work.
When did you first start painting/creating?
I have been creating art my whole life. My mom recently told me that she could'nt get the art materials out fast enough when I was a kid. She is an artist and art teacher, and I am grateful that she introduced me to art at an early age and continues to be a huge influence.
David's painting "The Champ" is an optical illusion. Can you see two Ali's? (hint: step back and look at the image).
How did you develop your personal style, especially your optical art?
I didn't start out trying to create optical art. It has been a long process. My artwork has always centered around value, more specifically value created by the eye when standing from a distance (similar to Georges Seurat).
After college, I started creating simple paintings using straight lines that up close look like lines, but from a distance create an image. I showed these paintings to an artist friend who said, "ehh, I've seen that before." That compelled me to create the same type of paintings, but instead of using straight lines, I used curved, more complex lines. So, I really stumbled across optical art.
This video of David creating art out of paintballs has over 75,000 views on YouTube!
You create art out of everything from paintballs to spray paint to nails. How do you select your materials?
I love working in my garage and using tools, so I look for different materials I can use there. I also like using stencils and spray-paint because of the crude and unpredictable effect it creates.
Can you tell me a bit about your creative process?
To create my optical illusion paintings, I separate a black and white image into different values (like a Shepard Fairey print) then I do the work with a brush, x-acto knife and hammer. Most of my paintings are very labor intensive. I will spend 30+ hours cutting a stencil or creating a painting.
I hear Yoko Ono owns a couple of the editions of your piece "Imagine" (above). Can you tell me a bit about how that came to be?
The process was easier than I thought. I did a little research on who owned the rights to the lyrics, then I contacted someone at Yoko Ono's website. I was then directed to Yoko Ono's lawyer, and we worked out a contract from there. As part of the contract, she requested two of the paintings, so my art is in her collection.
What's the art scene like where you live? Where do you go to look at art?
I am an art teacher, so I get to be around art everyday. I am also pursuing my Master's in Art Education at IUPUI, so I get a lot of exposure to art in my classes. Indianapolis is no NYC when it comes to the arts, but there is a growing art scene with good galleries and festivals that I like to go to to keep up on what's fresh.
This piece, "Tough as Nails" is made out of nails that David hand-hammered. Watch a video of him creating the piece here.
What advice would you offer to emerging artists?
I would say try to do something every day, whether it is sending an e-mail to promote your art or spending hours on a work of art. Also, apply to Ugallery.
