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Messages - Ralph Dewey

#1
Balloon Chit Chat / Balloon History
September 02, 2008, 02:03:37 PM
Hello Twisters,
I plan to write a book on balloon history so therefore I've been doing a lot of research.  But finding information in the UK is difficult since I'm located in the USA.  So I'm wanting to find someone who can help me dig out some balloon history facts and information.  Is there someone who is willing and has the time to help me with this endeavor?
Ralph Dewey
mailto:balloonz@flash.net">balloonz@flash.net
#2
Balloon Chit Chat / Re: Windy Blow
May 13, 2008, 12:19:24 PM
Quote from: "Dave"I found this http://www.fulltable.com/VTS/h/hero/119.jpg sounds like a great man

I've seen that magazine article as well.  I'll bet his biography would be very interesting.  I've searched all over the Internet for information about him.  Since he was the first to do a balloon act on British TV, are there physical records or books about the early days of the BBC that can be checked?
Dewey
#3
Balloon Chit Chat / Windy Blow
May 12, 2008, 02:38:32 AM
Hello UK Twisters,
I'm working on some balloon history and need some information about Windy Blow.  Windy Blow is the clown name for Dave Cecil who is also Charles Cole.  Since he was from England, maybe you can dig out some information about him.  Here is what one Internet site said about him.

Charles Cole/David Cecil (Windy Blow)
1910 - 198?
A pioneer of British film cartoons, but later known as television's first balloon act, twisting balloons into animal and other shapes
http://www.swalwelluk.co.uk/picpages/pic-radioc.html


Any help would be appreciated.
Ralph Dewey
Email:  mailto:balloonz@flash.net">balloonz@flash.net
#4
Quote from: "Graham Lee"I would just like to thank Ralph for taking the time this week to log on & answer questions from the members of balloon chat.
I enjoyed reading Ralph's replies, made it a very nice thread.
Very much appreciated.

Graham Lee

Hello UK Twisters,
Thanks for allowing me to be part of your group.  I enjoyed being interviewed and had a good time chatting with my twister friends.  Now I've got to get busy and come up with some new balloon creations to teach the next time around.  And my thanks to Graham Lee for facilitating the whole thing.
May God bless you.
Dewey
#5
Quote from: "Thelma Levett"Hello Ralph,
It was nice to meet you the other week and I did enjoy your lecture.  Are you finding the downturn in the economy has had any effect on the amount of work you are getting or in the expenses.  I have noticed here that enquiries for family birthday parties have dropped although the work for community projects has not.  How are you finding things over there in the States?

Hello Thelma,
It was great meeting you and the other twisters as well.  By the way, on BalloonHQ your dog design should appear in May in my column.  Thanks again for sharing it with the balloon community.

My area (Houston, Texas) doesn't seem to be lacking for balloon work.  However, the increases in gasoline prices has impacted travel a lot.  I'm not sure about other areas of the USA as far as demand for twisters.  I haven't heard on the BalloonHQ email list that other areas are suffering yet.
Dewey
#6
The "Star" Interview / Re: Gospel Balloons
April 12, 2008, 04:07:46 AM
Quote from: "Stevie_Babe"Hi Ralph,

this is so exciting. I started doing Gospel clowning at a kids church we were running at the time because I found out about it through both you & another book. I've stopped that now. I have to say that your routines were really good.

Now I go round schools presenting gospel in a unique way (I won't go into it here) I saw someone do the jonah & whale story using a balloon I don't know if it was yours. But it blew me away. Now I'm interested in doing it with balloons.

Ok, ok, here's the  question. Can I get your gospel DVD's (I prefer to books) over here in UK. Also I would like to attend one of your jams (not jelly  :roll: ) how do I find out about when & where you are going to be next?

The Jonah & the whale was probably my routine.  Of course there may be other versions of it going around too.  Currently I only have the one Gospel Balloon DVD.  IBS carries some of my books and DVDs.   If they are out, you can contact me via email to order them.
http://home.flash.net/~balloonz/news.htm

There is a possibility that I'll be lecturing somewhere in the UK next year.  Keep checking my schedule to see when and where it will be.
Dewey
#7
Quote from: "Graham Lee"Ralph,

Your more than welcome to plug & list your DVD's as well.

Graham Lee

Here is my list of DVD's.
Dewey's Balloon Jamboree
Dewey's Basic Balloon Animals
Dewey's Favorite Gospel Balloon Routines
Dewey's Advanced Balloon Animals
Dewey's Hat Factory
Dewey's: Born to Twist
Dewey's Restaurant Balloons

You can find them with descriptions on my web page at:
http://home.flash.net/~balloonz/videos.htm
You can also purchase many of my books and DVD's from IBS in Belgium.

Dewey
#8
Quote from: "Dave"It's difficult to see all publications on each artist and when I saw you at Grahams care and share (which I got a lot from and enjoyed meeting you) you had loads of books I hadn't seen before, I was wondering if you could list them?
Congratulations to Kevin Dewey look forward to seeing his lecture sometime.

Not all of my 28 books are on balloons, so I'll just list the balloon ones.  They all start with Dewey's so I'll leave off that part.
New Balloon Animals
Basic Balloon Sculpturing Course
Balloon & Clown Notebook
Gospel Balloon Routines #1, 2, 3, 4 & 5
Rubber Rascals
Mammoth Multiple Balloons
Extra Easy Balloons
Amusing Rubber Antics  (this one was an acrostic for DARA, my daughter.)
Zany Balloons
Celebrity Balloons
Balloon Anomalies
Wild Balloon Hats

You can see all of them on my web page.
http://home.flash.net/~balloonz/dewey.htm

I'm not sure if Kevin will keep doing balloons, because he is beginning to like magic these days.
Dewey
#9
Quote from: "Graham Lee"Ralph,

A couple of questions;

1, What would you say has been your proudest achievment in our wonderful world of twisted latex?
or do you have several.

2, If you could start all over again, would you change anything?

Graham Lee

Question 1:  It is difficult to point to just one thing so I'll name off several.  I was the first recipient (2005) of the David Grist Memorial Award.  In 2004 at the Millennium Jam I received the "Lifetime of Sharing the Magic of Balloons" award.  I'm grateful that I've been instrumental in the growth of gospel balloons as a way to communicate the Good News about Jesus Christ.  I was proud that Kevin Dewey, my grandson, made history by being the youngest (10 years old) instructor at a major balloon convention last January.  I had to do a lot of tudoring and encouraging in order for him to meet that challenge.  We are both proud of that accomplishment.  Giving out my annual Balloon Excellence Awards to deserving twisters has been a very positive event for me.  I was glad to be on the team for the world record balloon project that was constructed in 2000 at the Millennium Jam in Mol, Belgium.  I'm also glad to be part of a community of twister who are so willing to share ideas.  

Question 2: In my early days I was too concerned about being the fastest and best balloon twister on the planet.  Too often I tried to impress people with complex and fancy models.  As time went on and maturity kicked in, I modified my goals.  Now my balloon art and activities are more about creating ideas and sharing them with other twisters.  So even though I'm retired from my regular full-time job, I seldom take typical twister jobs.  I prefer to spend my time and energy teaching at workshops and conventions.  To me I get pleasure from helping other twisters become even better twisters.  And if they surpass me in ability, that's okay with me.  Another rewarding part of what I do is using my creativity to develop new and interesting ideas.  In fact, I've started working on a book that explains how someone can become a top twister by improving their balloon creativity.
#10
Quote from: "Dave"What's chalk talk?

A chalk talk is a cartoon-style drawing presented to an audience which has a surprise ending.  In other words, a short talk using a chalk board.  That is how it got it's name, but now it is done with a marker.  So I use an easel with large sheets of paper and a marker to make simple line drawings.  One example is where I draw an axe.  I talk about how you wouldn't let your children play with something a dangerous as an axe.  Then I add some more lines and it is a train on some tracks.  Then I mention that we should "train" up our children in the proper ways to keep them out of trouble.  I sometimes use them in my stage programs to add entertainment, but mostly I use them with a gospel message for shows in churches.
#11
Quote from: "Dave"do you still perform magic?

I like the easy and self-working type of magic.  I still perform it now and then.  About 7 years ago I decided to concentrate on my strongest talent, balloon twisting.  So other things that I do, clowning, magic, chalk talks, juggling and other skills have not gone away.  They have just taken a back seat.
Dewey
#12
Quote from: "Wim"Hi Ralph, we met in Belgium three weeks ago (do you remember the Dutch guy who was exited when he did a deep hook twist while you were already showing another model?... yep, that was me....)
You showed a Indian hat that turned into a (Belgium) mosquito that turned into the egg laying swan. Sadly I didn't took notes and made no picture but can you tell me, the second bubble (not the egg) was that a pinchtwist?I really cannot remember it.

I tried to make the thing again but somehow it was not as good as the one you showed...
And I want to take  this opportunity to thank you again for the great workshop, you inspired me a lot. Thanks!

Wim

That design is called the Swan that Lays an Egg.  The #260 is tied off leaving a 1-1/2" nozzle.  Then I inflate that into a 2" bubble and tie it off.  That bubble becomes the egg.  Then I twist off another 2" bubble.  That is the bubble that later gets popped to release the egg.
Dewey
#13
Quote from: "bickers"You said to keep tweaking designs - have you ever tweaked one so much that it became far too complicated to make? Or have you ever tweaked one a few times and when you came back to it felt that your original design was better?

One of the secrets for developing your balloon creativity is "perpetual tweaking."  A few times I have tweaked and it led in a direction that was too difficult to make consistently.  Then I had to back off.  That has been rare.  Mostly the tweaking has led to a better design.
Dewey
#14
Quote from: "cashmagic"have you got any more planes to do any more dvds?and if so what is likey to be in them?

Books sell easier because of their lower price, but are harder to produce.  It takes a lot of time and effort to write the text and draw the graphics.  On the other hand, DVD's take a few hours to shoot.  The editing and jacket design does take some work, but I have that done by my video guys.  The big drawback is the upfront money that I have to invest in order to get my cost per DVD low enough.  I don't have a timetable for producing them, but here are some possible future topics.  
Making balloon caricatures and faces.
Balloon Flowers.
More Gospel Balloon Routines.
Professional Balloon Secrets & Techniques.
Balloons Designs That Transform.

Dewey
#15
Quote from: "Billy Bongo"Hi ralph,

Are you a full time baloonist or do you have another job?

Norm

Hello Norm,
For lots of years I had a full-time job and did balloon work on the side.  Now that I'm retired I have lots more time to do balloon activities.  Mostly I teach at workshops and conventions.
Dewey