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VIRGINIA BALLY

SPRING BRANCH

Virginia Bally began her art studies by attending the Houston Museum of
Fine Arts School, now known as the Glassell School of Arts. She received
her Associates Degree in Fine Arts, with honors from North Harris County
College. Her major study was in ceramics. She was a featured artist in the
1991 Juried Student Art Exhibit and was awarded a scholarship on the
strength of her work. Virginia’s work can be found in exhibits and in private
collections in Canada, Europe, North Africa and the United States.

With her husband, Andre, she founded BALLY STUDIOS in 1994. This
collaborative team, along with their diverse Art and Design backgrounds,
are also greatly influenced by traditional Japanese design motifs along with
those of the North American Indian Tribes. With long hours of research,
trial and error, and a great deal of patience, each piece they produce is
completely unique.

For this exhibition, Virginia is continuing to focus on the development and
evolution of her Mask form. Utilizing the basic concept of the Catrina Skull
(la Calavera Catrina), an icon of modern Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the
Dead) celebrations, Virginia has incorporated Mason Stains which are
a combinations of oxides, that have been fritted to ensure uniformity of
color and thus insure uniformity of results in firing. These colorfully stained
porcelains greatly enhance the vibrancy and intensity of her final product.
The Mask itself is captured from a live model using a complex face casting
process. Virginia’s work is a constantly changing and evolving process.

The Collector
2015

Porcelain with Underglazes, Etched
Glass halo and Sea Shells
14 x 18 x 4
10 lbs
$1200