Douglas Balentine was born in 1968 and raised in Charleston, South Carolina. At an early age, he showed a talent for drawing and received much encouragement from his grandmother, Mrs. Emily Whaley. In 1977 and 1978, his family lived in Paris where he was exposed to classical art in the Louvre and other museums. This early exposure to the Old Masters proved to be a lasting inspiration.

While continuing to draw and paint throughout elementary and high school, Mr. Balentine decided to pursue a formal art education. He moved to New York City in 1987 to attend Parsons School of Design, which allowed him to pursue his desire to draw from the figure. After receiving a B.F.A., he enrolled in the M.F.A. program at Parsons and studied with Italian artist Nickolas Carone and New York artist Bruce Gagnier. Mr. Balentine also studied independently with Mr. Carone in Italy. He has continued his studies with programs at the New York Studio School and in Greece with the College of Charleston.

While still in school, Mr. Balentine regularly exhibited his paintings in Charleston at the Morgan Peyton Fine Art Gallery and the M.W Adams Gallery and executed portrait commissions in New York, Paris, Umbria, and Charleston. Most recently his work has been shown with Ann Long Fine Art, the Kathleen Rivers Gallery, and the City Gallery.

He currently lives in Charleston with his wife and two children. He paints primarily figurative works including nudes, landscapes, and portraits. He has been described as a classcist and his work clearly displays a love of form coupled with a clear spatial order and a personal thematic content.