Born in Cuba, and growing up in Mexico City, Beatriz Ball gravitated to art and nature at a young age. After moving to New Orleans as a young woman, she found herself periodically visiting Mexico City and returning with rare, artisanal finds.
Her taste for rare caught the eyes of her friends, and she saw an opportunity to bring the handcrafted virtuosity of her beloved Mexico City to her new home of New Orleans.
In 1991, Beatriz Ball began working alongside these Mexico City metalworkers, sketching and sculpting designs born out of her own imagination. Thirty years later, Beatriz Ball continues to work with these artisans in her eponymous company, evolving the collections to answer the needs of today through versatile and sustainable design. Each collection is thoughtfully crafted and inspired by a myriad of environmental influences, from the ocean to the forest.
Beatriz Ball’s collections of products are for those who want to indulge in art and beauty, the natural world, and the imagination of the mind. Expanding her line to include melamine, acrylic, glass, and linens, Beatriz Ball’s versatile and easy-care items fit perfectly into today’s more casual entertaining ¬¬– ideal for the way we live now.
The pieces are for those with a creative spirit seeking to elevate and romanticize life’s moments – from the finest to the fleeting. It’s for the artist inside all of us, sculpting our world and our place in it.
Innovation has always been a crucial component in the modus operandi of Beatriz Ball.
Artistically minded, Beatriz found herself drawn to the fascinating and ancient craft traditions of her adopted country—particularly the work of skilled Mexican silversmiths renowned for their artistry in metal. Yet, by the early 1980s silver prices had skyrocketed worldwide, and very few were buying silver items in Mexico. Initially, this left thousands of silver artisans without work, but soon those artisans adopted an aluminum alloy instead of silver to do their castings, and the alternative metal industry in Mexico was born.
When Beatriz began her business, she eschewed the hackneyed copies of traditional silver patterns and cutesy motifs popular at the time and worked hand in hand with metal artisans to develop innovative designs that pushed the boundaries of the ancient sand-casting technique. Further innovations were achieved in melamine casting, development of a proprietary metallic coating process, and more.
In her own words: “I create forms that have integrity, and although still recognizable forms, are new, cool, updated, sculptural versions of old classics that are simple, but sexy. I want my customer’s reaction to be, ‘Yes, my mom had something like this, but this is my version of it.’”
She adds: “I always design from the standpoint of function and lifestyle. I recognize that our busy millennial customers are constantly juggling their time, but still enjoy stylish entertaining. They also value pieces that are unique, handmade, eco-friendly and have character. Formal parties, sit-down dinners, large spaces, and huge budgets are less and less a part of their world. Our products are relevant to the way they live now by providing items that fit perfectly with their needs and lifestyles.”
Beatriz continues: “For me, conceptualizing a new design is a mixture of imagination and inspiration—always in service of lifestyle. I mostly get inspired by nature and organic forms and often dig into the history and origins of a particular design motif. We start with a drawing, then we modify and refine it. If during the early design process, we are not all getting excited, we abandon the project. I often end up using my hands, digging into the prototype while it is still in clay, and pushing and pulling until the form is exactly where it needs to be.”
“Today’s consumers are increasingly concerned with where things come from, how they are made, and if they have an authentic story. Sustainably handmade, our signature metal products are not spit out by a piece of machinery; they have authenticity and provenance and are created with integrity and thoughtfulness. In creating our products, I am very sensitive to what we now consider “valuable”. What we now value is not necessarily the most expensive items or materials, but those that ring true and are honest, are multi-purpose, of heirloom quality, and that contribute to our wellbeing by encouraging connections with family and friends. Our products fit perfectly with our new way of living, and each piece speaks to what we value most: honesty, connectivity, beauty. Each piece unfolds a story that is only completed after the piece is taken home, cherished and shared.”
