For metalware creator Beatriz Ball, an unfurled head of lettuce stirs visions of bowls, and a falling leaf guides the imprint of a plate. Any pattern, any shape, any object could inspire this creative genius, who, without a doubt, dreams in dishes.
The serving ware in her Beatriz Ball Collection, based in Harvey, Louisiana, looks like art, shines like silver, and functions like everyday tableware. Each piece is made by hand using a lustrous mixed metal and the ancient art of sand casting. Skilled artisans pour the molten material into one-time-use molds and finish it with four stages of buffing.
“We like for the piece to speak, for you to see the hand of the polisher, the hand of the molder,” Beatriz says. But while she takes pride in the…
