Neighborhood artist Neil Ballard is making a tree-mendous debut with a solo exhibit at Charm Coffee.
The show, titled "Forrest," will feature a collection of tree-inspired pieces that Ballard, who is also Mission Local’s donor engagement associate and illustrator, has worked on over the last two years.
“I’m really excited,” Charm Coffee owner Kim Ramos said. “Neil is awesome.”
The show, the first exhibit Charm Coffee has hosted, will run through May.
Ballard, a former contributor to The Light, is known for murals on Ocean Avenue and comics. He used this project as a way to not only develop his artistic abilities but to create something that was just for him, without a set brief or expectations to follow.
“With murals, I like to design things that can be implemented on schedule, so nothing too complicated so in the studio it was kind of an opportunity to go a little more complicated and push it without any kind of timeline or time pressure, just kind of explore, and try out some painting techniques to try to grow my skills,” Ballard said.
Ballard said he was inspired by his backpacking trips to the Sierra Nevada around Tahoe and how he uses trees to fill background spaces for his comics.
The trees depicted in this series aren’t based on any exact type of species but rather ones from his imagination.
Ballard used a mix of leftover acrylic paint from previous mural projects and watercolors in a variety of colors, like blue, yellow, and green and gave himself a list of constraints to follow, such as focusing solely on trees with no people or animals in the background, and exploring the possibilities of green through different light compositions and layering of different shades.
“The idea is not to sell all the pieces and make a bunch of money,” Ballard said. “It's about getting it on the wall, having people enjoy it here, and creating an experience for people in Charm.”
An opening reception for "Forest" will take place on Saturday, April 25, from 9 a.m. to noon.
