Julia Balazs
Julia is Manager of Heffel Vancouver, and a senior member of Heffel’s national consignment team. She is a leader in Private Sales, working closely with Heffel’s Gallery Represented Artists such as Ross Penhall and the Estate of Joe Fafard. Julia organized Ross Penhall’s debut exhibition with Heffel in January 2024, resulting in a sold-out show that grossed over $250,000. She also coordinated Heffel’s Fafard & Friends traveling exhibition in 2023 which showcased lifetime and posthumous figurative works by the artist at Heffel’s galleries in Calgary, Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto.
Julia works closely with consignors and their families to bring their special works of art to market. In 2020, Julia had a crucial role in bringing an exceptional Joan Mitchell triptych canvas to auction which sold for over a million dollars and is the current auction record for the artist in Canada. Julia also played a significant role in helping a family achieve their goals for a Joe Fafard masterpiece by offering the work at auction in 2021 and realizing a record auction price which more than tripled the low estimate.
As an integral member of Heffel’s national team, Julia coordinates schedules across departments to plan the bi-annual sales of Post-War and Contemporary Art, and Canadian, Impressionist & Modern Art in Toronto. In her role as Manager of Heffel Vancouver, Julia provides leadership and guidance, overseeing staffing and gallery presentation while utilizing her extensive knowledge of the gallery and its systems to ensure its ongoing success.
Prior to joining Heffel in 2014, Julia gained valuable experience commercial galleries in Vancouver that focused on Northwest Coast art, and Canadian contemporary and historical art. Julia graduated from the University of British Columbia with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Honours in Art History.