Artist Bio:
Alija Bala is an artist from Sarasota, Florida. She studies Illustration at the University of Central Florida. She is in her 4thyear, and will be graduating in Spring 2026. While she is unsure which career avenue she will go down in the future some of her main choices are: interior design, set design, or character design. She is very versatile in her artwork, she loves to use anything from graphite to ink to gouache. Alija loves to design and brainstorm, and she hopes to find a career where she is able to show the world all her thoughts and ideas.
Artist Statement:
My name is Alija Bala. I have always been a creative person, ever since I was a child. I have always found beauty in unsuspecting places. I think there is a lot of beautiful aspects in daily life and the lives of regular people. I think art that depicts everyday individuals is something that should be more common place. People working their jobs, taking the bus, or even admiring the ocean are some of the pieces I have explored this idea throughout. It makes me feel as if I am creating thingsfor everyone to consume, that everyone can relate to my pieces and see themselves transported in my work.
