Balancing Act
$500.00
A precarious stack of hand-painted teacups comes alive with two curious red-eyed tree frogs and a pair of honeybees in this original oil painting by Brisbane artist Jess King. A joyful, collectible still life for anyone who loves colour with a sense of humour.
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Balancing Act is an original oil painting by Australian artist Jess King, capturing that familiar, slightly chaotic moment when one more teacup on the pile feels like a gamble. Four boldly patterned cups with polka dots, swirling citrus rings and candy stripes in sunshine yellow, sky blue, cherry red and jet black, teeter in a tower against a gradient sky of teal and chartreuse.
Two red-eyed tree frogs have claimed the stack as their own, one perched cheekily on a teacup handle and another peering out between the rims, while two honeybees hover nearby, drawn in by the sweetness. Beneath it all, a tumble of crumpled pink and white fabric grounds the scene, adding warmth and softness to the composition.
Playful, detailed and rendered in Jess King’s signature vibrant palette, Balancing Act is a celebration of the small, off-kilter moments of daily life, a reminder that things don’t need to be perfectly stacked to be beautiful. It’s a striking original for a kitchen, dining space, or any wall that could use a little more colour and character.
Note: Screen variations may slightly affect color representation.
FAQ
- What is the painting Balancing Act by Jess King about?
- Balancing Act is an original oil painting by Jess King depicting a teetering stack of colourful, patterned teacups shared by two curious red-eyed tree frogs and two honeybees, set against a teal-to-green gradient background and draped pink and white fabric. It’s a playful still life about the small, precarious moments of everyday balance.
- Is Balancing Act an original painting or a print?
- Balancing Act is available as a one-of-a-kind original oil painting on canvas.
- What size is the Balancing Act original painting?
- Balancing Act measures 33x44cm framed, painted in oil on canvas.
- Where is artist Jess King based?
- Jess King is a visual artist and illustrator based in Brisbane, Australia, known for vibrant, story-driven still life oil paintings and children’s wall art sold through jessking.com.au.
Additional information
| Weight | 1 kg |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 33 × 44 × 5 cm |
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The simplest test: does it make you feel something when you look at it? Not “does it match my sofa”, does it make you feel something? If you keep coming back to the same piece, that’s your answer. I offer room mockups so you can see any work in your space before committing, and I’m always happy to answer questions before you buy.
Original paintings hold value in a way prints can’t. They are unique, hand-made objects that exist once. More than investment value though, collectors consistently tell me that living with an original changes how they feel in the room. It’s not decoration, it’s a daily experience. For those who can’t yet commit to an original, my limited edition prints offer the same image at a fraction of the cost.
Honestly, the brush in my hand is the answer. The hard part is picking it up, but once I do, everything else fades. I also meet weekly with a close artist friend to talk through what’s working and what isn’t. Having someone who genuinely understands the work, and will tell you the truth about it, is irreplaceable.
Not always, but I paint most days, even if only for an hour. My best sessions tend to happen late, when the house is quiet and music is on. There’s a particular kind of focus that comes at night that I can’t replicate in the morning. Some of my most resolved paintings were finished in those last two hours before I should have gone to bed.
Step 1: Select 3–5 collected objects with varied heights and textures.
Step 2: Arrange them on a draped surface, considering light source.
Step 3: Photograph from multiple angles.
Step 4: Choose the composition that creates the most interesting negative space.
Step 5: Transfer the key lines to canvas before opening a single tube of paint.
The most rewarding feedback I receive is when a collector tells me exactly why a painting connected with them, a memory it triggered, a feeling it gave them, or simply that it made them happy every time they walked past it. That connection is what I paint for.
Birds were my first love in painting and remain the subject I return to most. There’s something about capturing movement, delicate structure and personality within a small form that I find endlessly challenging and rewarding. Combined with my bright, no-neutral palette, bird paintings have become the work most often chosen by collectors who want something joyful and alive on their walls.
An original painting is a one-of-a-kind work painted by hand, once sold, it’s gone forever. A limited edition print is a high-quality reproduction made in a fixed number (for example, 50 copies), each numbered and signed. An open edition print has no quantity limit and is the most affordable way to own the artwork. All three are available in my shop.
Step 1: Gather objects — vases, flowers, found items.
Step 2: Style the composition and photograph it.
Step 3: Sketch the outline lightly on canvas.
Step 4: Block in the main colour areas.
Step 5: Build layers, working from dark to light.
Step 6: Detail work and final refinement.
My studio is a small, light-filled space where family often drift in and out. The setup is simple — easel, palette, reference photos pinned to a board. I style every composition before painting begins, which means the studio doubles as a styling space with op shop finds, collected vases and natural objects arranged on a small table.
An oil painting typically takes me anywhere from 3 days to 3 weeks depending on size and complexity. Small works (20×20cm) can be completed in a single session, while larger still life compositions with multiple objects can take several weeks due to oil drying time between layers.