Beginning his career as a freelance illustrator in London, his work appeared on the front covers of numerous magazines including the Sunday Times Culture Magazine, TV Times and Punch.
Aldo moved to France to be a full time artists and now lives in the Languedoc Roussillon region of France. He is represented by a number of galleries around the world, in countries such as the United Kingdom, United States of America, France and South Africa.
There is a narrative element to Balding’s work in which he sets up scenarios, with no specific outcome, leaving it up to the viewer to determine what is going on. He believes that the way a person holds their body can say more about their feelings and intentions, than words. His subtle use of space distortion creates a sense that something is amiss or is about to happen. Similar talents were shown by the great black and white movie filmmakers (like Hitchcock) and there is a sense that many of his pictures could be stills from a movie. Balding considers himself a storyteller, he takes an idea and moulds it to his liking; furthermore, the colours, the figures, the scenery are all adjusted for the viewer based on what he wants them to see.
Living in the South of France, he likes to paint in direct sunlight. He prefers to be “stingy” in colour tones, using no more than five or six at any one time. The work normally has a predominant tone or key to it, usually in the mid or dark range. This means that more than 50 percent of the canvas is occupied by one or two closely related tones; this method has been used by great artists such as, Sargent, Sorolla, Zorn and Munnings. Balding considers himself a tonalist painter, though colour is another tool he likes to employ to influence mood. He looks for colour harmonies that already exist in the subject. He squints a lot when painting and this helps him to simplify everything, see things within a hierarchy- the sharpest edge, the lightest part, the order of things that he is searching for. His inspiration, ideas and subject matter can originate from something he has seen- a man in a café, a woman crossing a street; or it can be an idea he has set up, where he has used a model, wearing something from his collection of clothes ranging from the 1940’s to the present day
Solo Exhibitions:
2020, 2015, 2013, 2011: Christopher Moller Art, Cape Town, South Africa
2008, 2006: Catto Gallery, London
2006: Alexander Gallery, Bristol
Selected Group Exhibitions:
2018: IAACC Pablo Serrano de Zaragoza Museum Exhibition
2018: Barcelona Museum of Modern Art MEAM Exhibition
2017: Thompsons Gallery London three man show
2016: ROI exhibition
2016, 2014, 2011, 2009, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2003, 2002: Royal Society of Portrait Painters
2009: ING Discerning Eye
2000: BP Awards
Awards:
2013: Winner ‘ Best of Show’ Bold Brush Competition
2006, 2004: Arc Salon finalist
2003: NSE Exhibition first prize
2002: Artist International first prize
Commissions include:
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown
Sir Michael McWilliam
Lady Laura Paul, Peter Alliss, Ernie Els
Articles:
Artist & Illustrators (2017, 2014, 2011, 2010, 2009, 2003)
Pratique des Arts April 2015
The Artist Magazine
Poets & Artists Magazine
American Art Collector
Artist International (Front cover, Issue 22; 5-page feature, Issue 27)
