Under the Influence: Cultural Heritage and Synesthesia with Artist Noy Balda!

Introducing to the Chicago North Shore Moms community, Glenview mom of three boys and lifelong artist with a rich cultural background steeped in color and movement, Noy Balda!

Born and raised in Guayaquil, Ecuador, Noy Balda moved to the States at the age of 14 to escape the daily dangers of her hometown. And while you can take the girl out of Ecuador, you can’t take Ecuador out of the girl – her rich cultural background, combined with memories of the gorgeous geography of Ecuador nurtured her flourishing proclivity for producing energetic and colorful art! When she’s not doting on her three young boys (one set of twins!), Noy focuses on creating an impressive portfolio of paintings on canvas and leather, outsourced from… Ecuador! Recently featured at the Lake Forest Showhouse and the upcoming North Shore Artisan Market in Wilmette Sept 13-14, 2025, Noy is sharing her joy with all of us. Oh, and that synesthesia we mentioned in the title? Read on to find out more about Noy Balda.

 

 

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Hi Noy! Please introduce yourself. Where are you from originally? What city do you live in now? What brought you here?

Hi! My name is Maria Leonor Balda, but I go by “Noy”. I was born and raised in Guayaquil, Ecuador and moved to Central IL when I was 14 yo. We moved to FL after I graduated high school but out of all my family, I fell in love with the midwest and decided to move to Chicago in 2011. I loved the energy of the city, and in 2015 I met my now husband. As our relationship grew we got married and decided a move to the suburbs was needed to start a family. We moved to Glenview in late 2019 while I was 5 months pregnant with identical twins!

 

You’re originally from Ecuador. We’d love to learn more about your family’s journey to the States.

My father was born in the United States and went to college in Michigan, so when Ecuador was facing its worst financial and crime crisis starting 1998, my father reached out to a college friend who gave him a job and helped us transition to the US. We had a beautiful home and lots of family and friends. We loved in Ecuador but after many encounters with crime like a house robbery, an express kidnapping and multiple armed robberies (all common at this time in Ecuador) my parents knew they wanted a better life. We moved to a small town in central IL in June 2002. It was tough leaving everything we had but we were welcomed by amazing people who would later become like family to us!

 

Thank you for sharing your experience with us. And now you’ve built a beautiful family of your own!

I have three beautiful boys. The twins Oliver and Julian came first and it was a complete shock to everyone! They were born in April 2020 at the height of the pandemic. Gabriel was born 22 months after the twins to complete our family. We had a few rough and exhausting years in the beginning but now we are thankful for how close they are.

They are very active and happy boys, they love playing with their trucks and can chat up any neighbor that walks by for hrs!
After 5 years of being a mom, I feel like I’m finally beginning to resurface and catch my breath a bit!

 

 

I know what you mean! And being able to catch your breath has afforded you time for creativity!

Yes, I am creative in many different ways, not just painting! I love building things, and one of my proudest projects is my outdoor sectional which I built the summer before my twins turned one! I’ve also worked for Pottery Barn for 10 years and love the creativity behind designing beautiful spaces for our customers.

I am also deeply passionate about music, I love concerts and will go to as many as I can. From classic to pop to rock. I love instruments and I discovered over a decade ago that I have synesthesia. I thought seeing colors and shapes to music was a normal thing for most of my adult life! I also hear melodies when I am traveling through beautiful places, even when there is no music playing. I believe that is what makes my work so rhythmic too.

One of my proudest moments happened in 2013 when I had an art exhibit at the presidential castle in the capital city of Ecuador, Quito. I was invited by the president to show a collection of works, a few of those inspired by the landscape and culture of our beautiful country.

 

 

What are your favorite local places, spaces and eats to frequent?

I am still finding all the gems of the North Shore, but one place we frequent often is the Botanic Gardens, we are so lucky to have easy access to such a beautiful place. As far as food, I’m very excited about the new restaurants that have opened and are coming to the area, especially Ema in Glenview which is delicious! My family and I are patiently waiting for Au Cheval in Wilmette and Smoke BBQ to open in Glenview.

 

 

Let’s get down to business. Your art is not only a creative outlet, but an entrepreneurial endeavor as well. Tell us about Noy Balda Art. 

I make abstract rhythmic art on canvas and leather which I bring from Ecuador. I started my business when I moved back to chicago. I started by teaching painting party classes and offering live painting sessions to events in the city. I always had a full time job to support myself but would use any free time to paint and reach out to restaurants, bars and breweries to let me hang and sell my work. Through this I was able to gain a few collectors and continue to pursue my passion.

I dove deep into painting after my twins were born. I started reaching out to designers and the local community, working more on commissions. I have been honored to create paintings for a few families and designers on the North Shore and throughout the country.

In June of this year, I decided to move into a studio space where I could welcome future collectors and teach painting parties to groups of moms in the area. I hope to grow my business and hopefully have the space to teach more classes and host events in the future!

 

Noy’s art was included in the Lake Forest Showhouse this past spring (2025). Designers credit: Mason and Brass out of Glenview and Meghan Jay Designs out of Evanston.

How does your rich cultural background influence your work?

The biggest way my culture has influenced my work is through color. I grew up in a very colorful country, Ecuador, one of the most geographically diverse countries in the world.

I grew up on the coast and spent months of the year in one of our stunning beach towns, just a little over an hour away, where my family had a vacation home. Within a short four-hour drive, you can reach one of the country’s highest snow-covered peaks. And just six hours east of the mountains, you can be trekking through the Amazon.

Let’s not forget the Galápagos Islands, only a two-hour plane ride from my hometown!

Color really does influence our emotions on a subconscious level.

Yes! I think it’s also important to mention, I paint very happy and colorful paintings because I learned very early in life there is too much negativity and sadness in the world. I always chose to stay positive and focus on the things I could control and ride along with the things I couldn’t.

 

 

You started painting at the age of six and never stopped, what keeps you motivated?

The therapy of it all. When I paint, I disconnect. I go to my “happy place” and process anything I am going through. I always had a hard time explaining the feeling until I watched Disney’s “Soul” – THAT is exactly what happens when an artist is deeply connected to their work.

My motivation is also the connection others feel to the work. I have grown so much in the past decade and believe now more than ever this is what I was meant to do. While faced with many obstacles, as many moms do, I feel like I need to keep pushing to put my artwork out there and hope people connect with it, because when they do, it is a beautiful thing…

 

 

What else would you like our audience to know about your work?

I would love for people to feel encouraged to reach out to me even if they are not looking to purchase work. I paint not just to sell because I genuinely want my work to be seen and have an audience. I love the conversations I have at art festivals and gallery events. I would love for people to feel inspired to reach out to artists and galleries and open themselves to art for the experience. I am happy to schedule a studio visit at any time!

I will be showcasing my work at the North Shore Artisan Market in Wilmette Sept 13-14, 2025. Please come visit and say hi!

 

What’s the best way to reach out for more information?

You can reach me at [email protected], via Instagram @NoyBaldaArt and on my website www.noybaldaart.com.

 

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