Mark Balma was born in Wichita, Kansas, in 1957. Raised in the Twin Cities, Balma graduated from Armstrong Senior High School in 1976. During this time, Balma was also studying at Atelier Lack from 1974 until 1976, before moving on to study at Atelier Child’s/Mairs until 1979. In 1981, Balma moved to Florence, Italy, to study fresco and portraiture under Maestro Pietro Annigoni, where he remained until 1982. It was this instruction that would inform much of the rest of the work throughout his career. Balma incorporates early Renaissance techniques into his modern-day works, including portraits and frescoes, as well as his studio work, which occasionally present social commentaries. 

Throughout his career, Balma has painted portraits of four United States Presidents, as well as European Heads of State and other famous individuals from business executives to music celebrities. Two of his paintings are housed in the Vatican’s permanent collection, and the locations of his fresco murals range from Assisi, Italy, to Saint Paul, Minnesota.