In 1963 I was a part time magician doing maybe 75 to 100 shows a year.  Mostly birthday parties and kid's banquets. Somehow in one of my travels, I met up with Bob Folmer.  He convinced me that I should be doing a balloon show.  He was right.  The animals that I was making were all out of 338's and 315's, and were very basic. It was a 20 minute stage/parlor act.
I wore a clown costume, and believe me when I tell you that I never ran into one other clown doing magic or balloons in those days, except for the ones working in the circus. (Hey-U was my clown name.)  
Pretty soon I was taking the balloon act into shopping malls, fairs, schools, and all other kinds of venues.  Entertainment became my prime source of income.  
I was doing a performing at one of the magician's convention when I met Joe Lamonica.  He showed me some things with 260's, and I added walk around as an additional money maker.
Burn out came about 1995.  I gave it all up.  The bug got me again, I've recently gotten back into the business.  I was stunned at how balloon sculpting had advanced. Unbelievably fantastic balloon scuptures are to be found all over the web.
 I've re-written my balloon and my magic show to bring them up to date, and I'm having a ball.  
I'm now working out of Patricia Bunnell's dvd, and I love her characters.  I wish that I could find an easy way to put her figures on a body instead of a hat.  That way I'd have a choice ,and could add variety with the same critter.
Well that's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

jake, I couldn't agree with you more about Patricia's dvd's.

Happy twisting.

Dave

Dave Andrews

and just a gentle reminder that you can win one of Patricia's DVD's. The competition has been going for a week & as yet no one apart from myself has entered it
Here's the link;

http://www.balloonchat.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=566

Graham Lee