Marva G. Ballard
Founder
Marva Ballard defines herself as an artist, advocate and educator who has been fortunate to spend her life working in areas she truly enjoys while helping others do the same. She was born in Port Huron, Michigan, and grew up in Akron, Ohio along with her younger siblings, two sisters and one brother, and their parents. Her early years were shaped by the range of experiences and the wonderfully creative environment she grew up in.
Around the age of four she began having an interest in fashion. Her mother, who was an avid reader, had a library full of hard back books, each containing a few blank pages. Those blank pages became Marva’s sketch pads and she filled them with little stick-like figures wearing detailed articles of clothing. It would be years before her mother would find her cherished books marked by her daughter’s early signs of creativity. She started sewing at age 5 and making gowns for women at her church when she was 12.
When she was 13 years old, a cousin living in Cleveland believed in her talent enough to arrange a meeting between her and the President of Bobby Books Sportswear. The company executive, who Marva says was probably as amused as he was impressed, invited her to come back at the age of 17 and become a part of their teen design board. However, by the age of 17, art had become her passion. She feels grateful to have had wonderful art teachers at every grade level. “I was fortunate to grow up during a period when arts education was valued and had its rightful place in the budget.” she says. “I was exposed to every art medium there was.”
During her early twenties, her life involved music as much as art as she performed with her two sisters and two friends of theirs (brothers) in a group called T and Madison Rose. When she wasn’t singing she was making their costumes. Their back up band included Phillip Ingram (brother of recording artist, James Ingram) and former member of Switch – a group popular in the early 80s, and Kevin Dorsey who later had a long career as a musical arranger for Michael Jackson. Marva went to high school with another member of Switch – Eddie Fluellen, and Howard Hewitt. Akron, Ohio was known for its elaborate talent shows – engaging kids in competitions all across the city. “SO much talent came out of Akron, Ohio.” she says. “Those show producers probably didn’t even know the impact they were having on all those kids involved.”
During this time she also attended Akron University and while trying to focus on one area she was interested in, took courses in Psychology, Political Science, Sociology, Secondary Education and finally Fine Art, before moving to Indianapolis in 1980 where she began her career as a fashion designer designing under the label – M.G. Ballard Designs. She claims she was a young (sometimes) starving artist having the time of her life. However, she was nominated for the More Fashion Awards in N.Y. and landed a contract to design costumes for the Colts Cheerleaders for their first season in Indianapolis. She enjoyed designing and making beautiful evening, bridal gowns and prom gowns for some of city's prominent women; however her passion became working with leather and creating art that could be worn.
She moved to Tuskegee, AL in 1987 after being invited to take a position with Tuskegee University in, what was called at the time, their Clothing and Related Arts program. She served as an industry liaison with the program - bringing resources and guidance from the fashion industry and helped to transition it to a Fashion Merchandising program. As part of that process, she helped craft a new curriculum which mandated that 25% of the coursework be in business with an emphasis on marketing. She also finished her own education, graduating Magna Cum Laude with a B.S. degree in Fashion Merchandising and then earning an M.S. in Education, both from Tuskegee University. She became an instructor with the Fashion Merchandising Program was honored with outstanding faculty awards for both teaching and service. In 1998, she returned to her passion full time, designing apparel, home accessories, and original, mixed-media wall hangings. Going back to designing led her to appreciate the role that the Internet could play in providing business opportunities. She worked with manufacturers oversees and sold to stores across the country.
It was during this time that the seeds for Women of Style, Spirit and Success were planted. Marva, who does not consider herself a technologist, knew how important technology was to her ability to do business. With the aid of one of her best friends and board member, Nyanza Duplessis, Women of SSS became incorporated in the state of Alabama and received its nonprofit status in 2004. Marva secured a charter and started operations with Women of SSS in Tennessee in September of 2007. With the core mission of helping to improve the economic conditions for women and children, Women of SSS's programmatic efforts focus on helping women and girls understand the role technology plays in shaping their present and future opportunities.
In addition to Women of SSS, Marva uses her talents to support other causes she is passionate about. She is one of the official artists of the Tom Joyner Fantastic Voyage with a portion of all of the proceeds generated by the sale of her art on the cruise going to support Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and works with the Bootsy Collins Foundation, supporting music education. She is also currently working on a major project for St. Jude Hospital.
“I can look back over the course of my life and see how the sum total of exposure, experiences, formal and non-formal education, joys, disappointments, and discoveries have all prepared me for this point in time and this work that I do now. I’ve experienced my “Ah Ha” moment and said to God – “now I understand why.” I am grateful for the tons of people who have sowed into my life, showed me possibilities, and validated my dreams – even those who didn’t realize that they were doing so. I feel obligated to use what God gave me to do the same for others.”
For more information, visit www.mgballarddesigns.com.