Ballinger a ‘humble leader’ in area arts community

One sunny September evening, Bryan “Breadwig” Ballinger grins as he holds a figurine depicting one of his characters up to his computer’s camera.

The figurine is one of Ballinger’s creations, one of a series of characters called “Faulty Dogs.” It’s the latest in a line of toys the muralist, children’s book author and illustrator has designed based on characters he’s created.

“It’s a real thing, it’s not just this digital thing on a computer screen,” he says. “It brings them alive. I love it.”

Ballinger is one of five recipients of this year’s Governor’s Arts Awards, which were announced in August.

“It’s one of the coolest things ever,” he says, adding he was touched to learn that he was even nominated in the first place. “The fact that enough people took the time to do that meant a lot to me.”

Ballinger is also this year’s visiting artist at the Indianapolis Children’s Museum, where he teaches workshops on illustration. It’s an experience he says he’s “absolutely loving.” The kids who participate get to design a character and a “giant, ridiculous wig” for them to wear.

Digital discovery

Ballinger’s journey through the arts started in the fourth grade.

“My best friend was a guy named Gordon, and he was a really, really good artist. We used to do comics and draw characters and stuff together all the time,” he says, adding that from a young age, he was drawn to comic strips like Peanuts and Calvin and Hobbes.

Ballinger’s professional career spans decades, going back to the 1990s when he was the lead illustrator for the first-ever Encarta Encyclopedia CD-ROM produced by Microsoft. Much of Ballinger’s career was then spent creating for companies including Disney, Nintendo and Big Idea Entertainment, the now-bankrupt animation studio responsible for the popular Veggie Tales animated series.

Even the story behind Ballinger’s “Breadwig” moniker has roots in the early days of the Internet, “jumping around on WebCrawler,” one of the first search engines.

“I came across this historical article that I have no idea if it’s true or not, … but it says that in colonial times when they had these big white wigs, they would make the wig and then they would put dough all around it and bake it and that would help it stay in place,” he says. “It’s a bread wig and I just thought that concept was so fascinating.”

Ballinger and his family have lived in Huntington since 2005, when he was hired to develop Huntington University’s animation program. He still teaches at the university part time.

Ballinger’s toy line is just one new project. Ballinger also has three illustrated children’s books on the way, featuring casts of Ballinger’s original characters. “The Big Wig Parade,” which was published Oct. 3, features a cast of quirky characters preparing for their annual parade and imparts readers with a lesson on acceptance, especially of those who are different. It is published by POW! Kids Books and distributed by Simon & Schuster.

“Counting Cows” will be published Jan. 16, and “The Story of a Pig Named Joe” is slated for an April 2 release.

Ballinger’s first book, “Animal Gas: A Farty Farce,” was published in 2015.

Tangible art

From Encarta and Explorapedia, another Microsoft encyclopedia software, Ballinger did work for various children’s software before landing at Veggie Tales and later moving into children’s books and murals.

After decades developing digital art, Ballinger says it is really the tangible work such as children’s books, toys and murals that bring him the most joy and satisfaction.

“I don’t think I can go back to just being completely digital anymore,” he says. “I have a workshop down in the garage now where I do all the 3D printing and all of my paints.”

Ballinger notes that he’s been doing digital art since 1989 or 1990, and he’s noticed that many of his fellow digital artists return to traditional art forms later in their career.

“It’s just something you’re missing with the lack of the physical stuff, the smell of the paints and all of that,” he says. “But I still love digital stuff, I still love digital sculpting and painting.”

As a college student, Ballinger dabbled in sculpture using clay and Sculpey polymer, but it was the rise of 3D printing that inspired him to develop toys and figurines. The toys he develops also create depth that helps bring his characters to life, he adds.

“I had all these digital files, three-dimensional files and stuff that I made,” he says. “I started exploring, and I get hyper-focused on things, so I just got really into it, learned it inside and out. Being able to print stuff, it’s been super fun.”

Many animated films and comic books adhere to a certain artistic style, Ballinger says. But the children’s media, especially illustrated books, have room for a more diverse array of expression.

“When you look at children’s book illustration, it’s all over the place. Children’s book illustrators have their own styles, they’re all very different, they’re all unique and really interesting, and that’s why I like it,” he says.

Public appeal

Ballinger’s murals reflect the unique, whimsical art found in his illustrations and his commitment to artwork that appeals to kids and adults alike. In 2018, he completed his first mural for Art This Way in Fort Wayne. Doing that piece, titled “Blue Birds,” was an amazing experience, he says. It is in the alley behind JK O’Donnell’s, at 927 S. Calhoun St.

“It was so cool. Instead of sitting at my computer with the mouse and the tablet, I’m outside. People can come up and see what I’m doing as I’m doing it. They can talk to me about it,” he says. “I’m getting the paint all over me, and then you’ve got something that people can interact with and get pictures in front of.”

After that first mural, Ballinger applied to do more. His website now features a portfolio of more than a dozen murals throughout the state.

Public art is important, he says, because it can transform a community.

“It’s a physical part of the location and people can experience it just by being there and walking around. It changes the look of everything,” he says. “I love the variety of public art. It really seems to bring out the individual originality of the artists that are doing it.”

Alexandra Hall, manager of Art This Way, says northeast Indiana is lucky to have an artist of Ballinger’s caliber and character. When Ballinger submitted his design for “Blue Birds,” Art This Way was shifting away from the idea that every mural or piece of public art had to be associated with some aspect of Fort Wayne history, she says.

“Bryan presented us with something from his portfolio that was just cool,” Hall says.

Ballinger and Art This Way have since worked together to develop more permanent murals in Fort Wayne, “The Ruddy Turnstones” at 222 Pearl St. and “Chromabots” at 840 S. Calhoun St. overlooking the Porch Off Calhoun. He has also painted two temporary pieces as part of the Clean Drains Fort Wayne sidewalk mural project near the Allen County Courthouse and near Cottage Flowers on West Wayne Street.

“He’s so lovely to work with,” Hall says.

Ballinger also designed the inclusive signage that adorns Art This Way murals across the city. Those signs, Hall said, are meant to give people who are visually impaired a way to experience the murals through touch.

“It’s something I don’t run into outside of our community, and it is effective and it’s all thanks to Bryan for creating those for us,” she says.

There’s no one more deserving of the Governor’s Arts Award than Ballinger, Hall says. She describes him as a humble leader in the artistic community, always willing to offer advice or lend a hand.

“We’re just really, really lucky to have him in this region and I’m thrilled that he’s won this (award),” she says. “I wish him all the best, always.”

Oh hi there 👋
It’s nice to meet you.

Sign up to receive awesome content in your inbox, everyday.

We don’t spam! Read our [link]privacy policy[/link] for more info.