Jasiek Balcerzak

Jasiek Balcerzak graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, which was preceded by a solid preparation of traditional drawing and painting based on the ability to observe and quite realistically translate the results of this observation into paper. "This classic approach to studying fine arts gave me a solid workshop on further, already much more relaxed and contemporary ways of relating to the topics discussed." During his studies, however, he became fascinated by one of the very traditional techniques still performed at the Warsaw university in an almost archaic way on large stones and huge cast iron presses of the 19th century - lithography. This fascination was based on physical contact with the stone and the effects that could be achieved in the final print through appropriately applied patches of color. Using this technique, the artist created a diploma series of 100x70 cm graphics, which were his own interpretation of a topic related to Slavic mythology.

The main motive of his works: forests are an inspiration to take up the topic of trees and forest in his painting, apart from his fascination with trees, there were and still are artistic issues related to color, rhythm, composition and texture. Most of the works from the series were created with oil paint on canvas. Proper preparation of the oil paint allows it to achieve effects similar to a bas-relief with a very clear and extensive texture. Another time, the effect is similar to a watercolors diluted with water. The flexibility of oil paint supported by various media is enormous.

In his understanding, composition is a frame that binds the content contained in the support. In most of the paintings in this series, he tries to combine expression and calmness in a way that aims to strive for balance. The rhythm usually appears in compositions whose prototype are wider frames containing repeating shapes, which is characteristic of a picture showing trunks inside a forest or a forest seen from the bird's perspective. The problem of color is the most important element for him, although not always brought to the fore. Through appropriate use of warm and cool colors, he tries to achieve the impression of color harmony. Most of the paintings are preceded by insightful color sketches from nature. In later work, he usually simplifies the reports captured "live". A frequent procedure is also departing from the original colors, basing on your own emotional state or looking for completely new color combinations.

The series devoted to trees, like most of its inspirations, departs relatively much from showing the real world. Through a strong simplification, certain stylization and subjective perception of the world around us, it aims to eliminate elements, in its understanding, unnecessary for a painting composition constructed in this way.

EXHIBITIONS:
- OUT OF HEIMAT 2000 - University of Copenhagen, Denmark 2002
-University of Aarhus, Denmark 2011
- participation in the international painting exhibition at the Castle Gallery, Bzenec, Czech Republic

Scholarship holder of the Maison d'artiste de La Grande Vigne in Dinan, France 2016