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Deborah Ballard
Think II

2013

About the Item

The figure has always been Deborah Ballard’s muse in her sculptures. Ballard works in bronze, cast stone, and plaster; her figures ranging from life-size to hand-size. Ballard says, “I always have this inner voice that dictates what I do and how I think.” The concept of the human body as a “container,” a vessel of thoughts, hopes and dreams, began when she was an undergrad studying ceramics at SMU. Her early vessels transformed into free-standing figures by the time she completed her MFA at SMU in 1990. Throughout her MFA, she worked daily from the model and credits SMU Professor Jay Sullivan for teaching her the technical skills she uses to make her work. In the 25 years since, her sculptures have developed from her imagination, with a realism based in her foundation of direct observation from the model and gross anatomy classes. Her observation of body language has strongly influenced her work, as in her Reflection series, in which figures stand passively with their arms crossed over their chests, and in her Walk series, in which they stride confidently swinging their arms. A rarity among sculptors, Deborah Ballard hand builds all her work, an intensely laborious process. She has always preferred the notion of unique sculptures that are variations on a theme rather than making an edition of the same sculpture. Challenged by complexity and the need for experimentation, Ballard strives to animate her figures with new postures, gestures and expressive patinas. Her plaster sculptures are often enhanced with graphite marks drawn on and rubbed into the surface. Photo by Teresa Rafidi
  • Creator:
    Deborah Ballard (1951, American)
  • Creation Year:
    2013
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 53 in (134.62 cm)Width: 26.5 in (67.31 cm)Depth: 17.5 in (44.45 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Dallas, TX
  • Reference Number:
    Seller: 205791stDibs: LU2571101583

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