Tom Ballard is a sculptor and architect whose abstract work explores the expressive possibilities of steel. Ballard earned a B.A. in 1968 and M.F.A. in 1971 from the University of California, Davis. As a student, he approached steel using industrial fabrication and finishing techniques, including painting, chrome plating and galvanizing, while creating abstract forms. After graduate school, Ballard pursued a 40-year career as an architect and custom-home builder, continuing to make art intermittently. Following his retirement, he returned to sculpture as a primary practice. His recent work includes freestanding and wall-mounted steel sculpture as well as art furniture, frequently combining natural, polished, ground, rusted and painted surfaces. Across both his architecture and sculpture, Ballard embraces a “less is more” approach, allowing shape, texture, material and finish to define the work.