Andy Ballentine

Andy Ballentine has been recognized for his intuitive and explosive talent by the international art world – his work was exhibited at Art Basel in Switzerland in 2017 and New York Art Week in 2018.  Over the past 20 years since his talent was discovered, his works have been exhibited, collected, and hung in galleries, embassies, and other places where fine art lives.

 Ballentine is a Jamaican born and named after Jamaica’s first Prime Minister, William Alexander Bustamante. The fine artist is inspired by his natural environment and by all the greats, especially Picasso and Basquiat.  He survived and rose from gang-controlled neighborhoods that made him dream and reach higher. Raised by a single father, Ballentine was shaped and lives by his father’s guiding principles of respect for others, life, and our environment. Ballentine believes he is doing the work he was divinely meant to do and intuitively knows that his Jamaican Maroon blood provides insight and a spiritual connection to the universe that is reflected in his works.

 Ballentine creates bold, expressive, multi-genre works that include abstracts, landscapes, and still lifes that connect you to your inner self and to your generations.  His Jamaican heritage-themed works are grounded in cultural nostalgia, and tell stories about Jamaica, pre and post-independence; The Noisy Morning Cock, School time, Mass John Domino Shop With A Game of Dominoes, Breadfruit and Ackee and Wash Day In Jamaica.  His recent series of works called “root abstracts,” is loaded with symbolism and tells stories about civilization, modern society, and our human experiences; Master of his Game; portrait of Nipsey Hussle, The descendants of Adam and Eve, and Birth of Hope.   

 Ballentine has completed 17 solo exhibitions.  He has taken part in over 350 group exhibitions that included other prominent Jamaican visual artists Albert Huie, Webster Campbell, and Barrington Watson.

 Ballentine is an active philanthropist and has been given the honor of being the Ambassador of his alma mater, Spanish Town High School, to which he has provided financial and other support over the past twenty years

Andy Ballentine

Andy Ballentine

One of Jamaica’s most accomplished visual artists, Andy Ballentine, is now doing the official artwork for Lt. Stitchie’s soon-to-be-released album. For those not familiar with Andy Ballentine, his trademark work – the careful representation of Jamaican fruits, vegetables, and landscapes – as well as other portraits, can be found island-wide in various resorts. His eye-catching art hangs beautifully in tourist traps like Couples (Ocho Rios), which contracted him to produce 30 pieces for their resort in 2002, Swept Away (Negril), and internationally, in places like the office of the Ambassador of Iceland.

The two men met recently at an airport in Miami, Florida. Andy, a die-hearted fan of Lt. Stitchie, introduced himself once he spotted the governor. Stitchie, for his part, was equally impressed once he learned about Andy’s work and achievements. There was an instant connection which eventually led to Andy Ballentine working on the visuals for Lt. Stitchie’s album.

Lt. Stitchie and his team will not be showing the artwork to the public until the album is ready.

Andy Ballentine

Andy Ballentine. born William Ballentine. grew up primarily in St. Catherine, Jamaica. While attending Spanish Town High School in the 1990s, he began Art in earnest and entered the art scene professionally in 2000. He attended Edna Manley School of Performing and Visual Arts. He has since exhibited in over a hundred group exhibitions and fifteen solo exhibitions both locally and internationally. His trademark work, the careful representation of Jamaican fruits, vegetables, and landscapes as well as more recently portraiture can be found island-wide in various resorts like Couples, in Ocho Rios. which contracted him to produce 30 pieces for their resort in 2002. in Swept Away, Negril, and internationally as in the office of the Ambassador of Iceland.

in 2007, his alma mater, Spanish Town High School awarded him for excellence in Visual Arts. Before that. he received first place for the St. Catherine Art Expo in 2003 and ranked in the top ten of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission’s Visual Art national competition in 2002. He appeared on Television Jamaica’s Smile Jamaica morning show as the 2002 Young Professional’s Artist of the Week. In that same year,
MKB promotions purchased an oil painting of J Heineken beer which Ballentine personally Presented to Red Stripe at the launch of Heineken Star Time. 
In July 2009, Ballentine joined forces with Webster Campbell to showcase the real Jamaica through Campbell’s paintings of old houses and Ballentine’s paintings of Jamaican foods. 

Andy Ballentine

Andy Ballentine Best Visual Art

In November 2009. he. launched his bottle collection, featuring glass lamps with country sceneries painted on them. in December 2010, he showed with newcomer Alicia Brown at the Gallery Pegasus. He had his 10th-anniversary art exhibition at Red Bones and Blues Cafe in September ..201). Also, to ta-commemorate Jamaica’s 50th-anniversary celebration, Ballentine hosted the “This is it* exhibition at Red Bones in July 2012. Along with Ballentine’s painting. this exhibition featured the work of Patrice Francis and Winston Pediey. in May 2015. Ballentine launched his clothing line, which features paintings of his work on T-shirts, bags. and sandals. 
Ballentine has given back to his alma mater in many ways including donating books to the library. an aquarium to the

Art room, assisting several upcoming Art students with funds and supplies to return to school. He has also mentored young artists. He was refuted as a special Ambassador of Spanish Town High School in 2016 to honor his philanthropic work. Part proceeds of his exhibition sales go to helping the school. 
IinJenuary 2009, Ballentine lost his father to lung cancer. That same year. in August. he welcomed his daughter, Anna-Stacey Ballentine.