Cali Balles

Cali Balles is a Canadian glass artist whose work is inspired by the forms found in nature and cityscapes. She pairs fluid blown forms with rigid mold blown structures to create the same balance that is struck in her influences. There is a delicate and beautiful marriage between organic and controlled elements in her sculptures.

Balles photographs her influences such as branches, fronds and tendrils; and then later studies their forms in detail to try and re-create their essence in glass. Some of my favorite pieces are the wall sculptures, whose colorlessness lends to the feeling of old scientific photographs. This one in particular makes me think of a photographic contact sheet containing images of microcosmic organisms.

She also works in small sculptures and I have included one of her reference photographs to compare the work to. Balles currently lives in Toronto and is a resident glass artist at the Living Arts Centre. To find out more about Cali Balles check out her website.