Balloon Chat
Uncategorized Boards => The "Star" Interview => Topic started by: Graham Lee on March 31, 2009, 05:42:22 PM
Just Marie is the next volunteer into the firing line
Some of Marie's work can be found on her portfolio page; http://justmarie.balloonhq.com/ (http://justmarie.balloonhq.com/)
and website; http://www.balloonartbymarie.com/ (http://www.balloonartbymarie.com/)
I've known Marie a little while now and she is passionate about our art and a bit of a laugh at the same time :D
Just to remind everyone that Marie is up for the interview from tomorrow and I know she's been looking forward to all your questions as we do talk on skype now and again.
So Marie, your sitting at home or wherever and all of a sudden an idea/design pops into your head. What is your thought process from idea/design to having a finished sculpture that your happy with?
Do you end up with a few prototypes?
I'm sorry, Graham, the kids were off of school yesterday and I didn't get a chance to answer your questions. Then, being an American, I didn't pay attention to where the questions were and got all confused...
So, now that I'm all straightened out, let's give this a shot:
1, What road led you into balloon modelling?
I took Glassell south and made a left just before McFadden.
2, When did you get started with balloons?
My grandparents took me to a parade when I was five and bought me a twisted dog - I took it apart and cried.
3, What's your best twisting experience?
The first time one didn't pop.
4, What is the worst thing that has ever happened to you during a ballooning/entertaining session?
The balloon popped.
5, What do you most enjoy about twisting & why?
The huge paycheck at the end, for obvious reasons.
Oh, wait... You didn't seriously expect me to do this without being incredibly sarcastic right off the bat, did you?! Come on now, Graham, you know me WAAAY better than that!
If you don't mind, may I please take a slightly different approach to this just for a moment? I'll answer a few of your questions by telling you a bit about myself. I'm DEFINITELY not your typical balloon twister. Sometimes I'm far too outspoken for my own good. I very rarely do line work. In fact, I very rarely work at all.
I began twisting to entertain my own children just about 6 years ago now. I figured I could make a little money on the side with my new found skill/obsession/passion. Within months of purchasing my first videos, I was attending conventions and jams and winning competitions. I was lucky enough to live in Southern California near some of the best balloon twisters in the States. I learned so much from them.
Also, by being a member of Balloon HQ, I was able to share my designs and ideas with other artists all over. I gained quite a bit of popularity for the quality of my pictures. Over the next few years, I released 3 DVDs on balloon sculpting.
In Jan, '06 a local magazine featured a balloon dress I co-created on it's cover. I've created dresses for two television shows and a few corporate events. I have several things planned for my designs. Balloon fashions will always be my passion. I have a new design I created just for you... (as soon as I find my cable ;) )
a good funny start, made me laugh :lol:
When you find your cable it would be nice to see some of the designs that went into the magazine etc
Marie,
You mentioned that you were on two tv programs. What ones were they? Did anyone assist you with these projects? Do you have any pictures of the events?
Shonna,
The TV programs in question were: Univision's Sabado Gigante (Big Saturday) and Disney Channel's Wizards of Waverly Place.
I actually appeared on Sabado Gigante along with three balloon dresses. I wouldn't say anyone really "assisted" me. There were a few other balloon artists that made a few sculptures and may have blown up some balloons and even twisted a bit of the dresses... But, I TOTALLY could have done it myself if I'd have wanted to!!! ;)
The dress for Wizards was worn by the real life girlfriend of the star. Originally when the head of the wardrobe department contacted me, she didn't know if the show would be able to meet my budget. Ironically, by the end of shooting, not only did they meet it, but they offered me more than our original agreement.
Do you remember the name of the balloon artists who helped you on the show for Univision? Were you just giving them a chance to "break into" the balloon industry, or were they already known by the community?
I hear the color of the dress used for Wizard's of Waverly Place is in big demand right now. What color was it exactly?
What brand of balloons do you use, or do you prefer not to let out your trade secrets?
(//http://www.balloonhq.com//photos/db/uploadsAfterDec2004/web/4764-1214025398.jpg)(//http://www.balloonhq.com//photos/db/uploadsAfterDec2004/web/4764-1214025487.jpg)(//http://www.balloonhq.com//photos/db/uploadsAfterDec2004/web/4764-1214025619.jpg)(//http://www.balloonhq.com/photos/db/uploadsAfterDec2004/web/4764-1240354924.jpg)(//http://www.balloonhq.com//photos/db/uploadsAfterDec2004/web/4764-1238108874.jpg)
The dress for Wizard's of Waverly Place has drawn a lot of attention from some of my regular clients. I like to brag that I know the artist who made it.
What was it like being on a TV set with Cindy Crawford and all of the others?
How many times has the episode with your dress aired now? I know it was just on again because people told me they saw it?
Will you remember me when you are Rich and Famous and making balloon dresses for the stars?
Their names? I don't really think that's relevant. The mother was lovely, but the son was just a mediocre balloon artist at best... ;)
I use predominantly Betallic (Sempertex) balloons. I absolutely LOVE their color selection, especially their 160s. When making dresses, it's imperative to have a wide variety of size and colors. I prefer to use metallics and pearls as they are stronger and give a better look to the fashion.
The colors I used in for Wizards dress are Key Lime and Metallic Fuchsia. The flowers on the front of the dress are made with an uninflated balloon technique to mimic peonies.
Obviously Shonna and her family appeared on Sabado Gigante with me. We had an amazing time. It was only my second experience making dresses that actually had to fit on models. Shonna had just returned from the now famous China festival. We were to make three dresses and had three days to do it. We created the dresses in what was normally the star of the show's lounge. While we were working, several cast members would drop in and wonder what we were doing and why. When we explained that the balloon dresses were to appear on their show they were just amazed. The dresses, as well as the sculptures and hats, were a huge hit with the live audience.
I have since made over 50 dresses in a variety of styles.
Hi Just Marie,
I'm an entertainer and twister and can really appreciate the skill, patience and talent that goes into making balloon dresses. At the moment is it not for me. (Plus my weaving skills are terrible!).
My question is this, what attracts and inspires YOU to balloon dress design?
best wishes
Danny the Idiot
I search fabric dresses on the internet. I find prom, evening, cocktail, even club dresses and try to emulate those designs and styles. Being able to visualize the flow of the fabric makes shaping the "garment" easier. Very few of my designs are "truly original". I've started a series of designer dresses including Pucci, Burberry -that I've completed - with Betsey Johnson, Anna Sui, Oleg Cassini and others to follow.
(//http://s216.photobucket.com/albums/cc294/amorousone/th_1.jpg) (//http://s216.photobucket.com/albums/cc294/amorousone/th_2.jpg) (//http://s216.photobucket.com/albums/cc294/amorousone/th_5.jpg) (//http://s216.photobucket.com/albums/cc294/amorousone/th_4-2.jpg) (//http://s216.photobucket.com/albums/cc294/amorousone/th_3.jpg)
As for your weaving skills... the only way to improve them is to practice, practice, practice! Go for consistency.
What irritates you most at a gig?
Here's where my outspokenness comes into play. Nothing bothers me more than rude parents. I can't stand it when the parents stand behind the children and say, "Tell her what you want." Wouldn't it be much nicer to say, "Ask her for..." or "Why don't you request..." I know it's just a question of semantics, but why not teach the children manners and to be polite?
How do you book yourself?
Because for the most part I'm a hobbyist, most of my bookings come from my website. I've gone to great lengths to make sure that my site contains all the right keywords and text to rank me very high on the search engines. That may sound a bit hypocritical, but I take pride in my work/art and want it represented well.
What has been your proudest achievement in our wonderful world of twisted latex?
Probably when my balloon dress finally appeared on The Disney Channel. The first time I saw the preview for the episode I was so excited. It takes months from the filming to the actual air date. I was pretty amazing seeing the final product.
What advice would you give to someone starting out, or wanting to increase their business?
Listen to all the advice you get, but choose only what works for you. One minute someone will state adamantly that THIS is the only way you should do something. Then, not two minutes later, someone else will say THAT should never be done. I was once at a jam where a balloon twister stated that to be really good you have to use the entire balloon. I didn't understand this logic AT ALL! But, to them, it was fact.
As for increasing their business... Create a really good business card and hand them out generously. An easy to navigate website is imperative. Be seen! In the states, restaurant twisting is very popular for getting exposure. The more people that see you, the more likely you'll be booked.
Let people know how good you are. There is a book called, Brag, The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It, I recommend it to EVERYONE. It teaches you how to acknowledge your accolades to others - something most of us have been raised not to do. Be proud of your accomplishments - there's no shame in that!
Hey Graham,
Guess what... I found my camera! Imagine, it was right where I left it! ;)
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This one was very loosely based on an actual dress. I took quite a few liberties. I pick out elements I want to replicate - in this case, the polka dots. It's debuting here... Yeah, you're all special!
Finally I get to see this dress! I love it and I really like the polk-a-dots.
What do you do to protect your photos and to make sure that others don't "use" them to get credit for work they didn't do?
Shonna
Shonna,
You're such a crack up! Most of the time I plaster that big ol' website address across my dresses.
WARNING - I'm about to be outspoken again!
Recently one of my most well publicized dresses, or at least the picture of it, was used without my permission.
I often search the web for balloon dresses for a number of reasons. I like to make sure that my site's ranking is still high. I also like to see if other artists have come up with anything new. I was quite shocked when I saw the dress I'd made for The Disney Channel being used to promote another artist with no credit being given to me. Since this other artist and I had had prior dealings, well, let's just say I was far less than complimented by situation.
The picture was later removed from the site with a pseudo apology.
What happened to me was not uncommon. It happens ALL the time. You can "watermark" your pics, you can put your website or name across them... There is NO guarantee that someone else is not going to use them. All you can do is hope that the person using your pics is not taking business away from you.
Another safety measure would be to always name the pictures you put on your website with something easily searchable in the title. That way, you can check on them and see if they show up on other sites.
If you could start all over again, would you change anything?
I'm not sure if I'd do anything different. I have always really enjoyed making balloons. I sometimes wish I was working more just because the economy is so incredibly bad right now. But, at the time it wasn't necessary or even something I wanted to do. I attended every single event I possibly could - having small children was the only reason I didn't make it to more.
Who's the most famous person you have made a balloon creation for?
Sadly, I haven't really made balloons for anyone famous. I did tie the balloons that made the one balloon doggies that my kids made for Cindy Crawford - does that count? lol
Oh, wait, I made a corset for a local radio personality and another artist and I made a ride inside police car for a professional baseball player! (It was a fund raiser for an injured police officer.)
How do you keep the enthusiasm going & what still excites you about our great world of latex?
I DON'T KNOW! Isn't that funny?! I just LOVE balloons. I've been a crafter since I was four years old. Usually I stick with a hobby or craft for a few months then move on to the next. I have been working with balloons going on six years now! Maybe it's that I have a whole community of obsessive freaks (no offense) that are just as into it as I am... I honestly can't tell you why.
I love the looks of amazement on people's faces when they realize that you can create something truly beautiful from something they consider a child's toy.
By the way, those obsessive freaks I mentioned, my life wouldn't be the same without them!
Quote from: "justmarie"By the way, those obsessive freaks I mentioned, my life wouldn't be the same without them!
I do hope you include me in those obsessive freaks that you mention ;)
Graham,
You're one of the biggest freaks!
;)
OK, now I'm going to vent about one of my biggest pet peeves in the balloon industry - or at least on another very popular balloon related site.
(heavy sigh...)
Why is it that artists are constantly complimenting pics or DVDs and saying how great they are when they aren't? It's especially bothersome in the category of DVDs/videos. If an artist creates a dvd and the work is less than perfect for one reason or another, shouldn't that information be made public or at least brought to their attention? It's not always in the artist's best interest for their peers to tell them that their work is of a certain caliber when in fact it isn't. Most often times it seems people want to "say something nice" rather than be honest and risk hurt feelings. However, constructive criticism can be just that - constructive, helpful and valuable.
I once bought a DVD that was highly recommended online. When I watched it, the sound quality was SO bad at some points I couldn't even understand what the artist was saying. When I mentioned this to friends at the next convention, they all said their copies did the same thing. ??? Why hadn't anyone mentioned this before instead of consistently saying, "_____ is a great DVD"?!
Now, I'm not saying you have to blurt out, "OMG, the sound sucked and you shouldn't buy it!" But one could easily comment, "The sculptures are great, but the sound quality made it difficult to understand some of the instructions."
Ok, I'm done ;)
I have a collection of around 160 video's/DVD's and CD's and yes the do vary in quality.
Here's the list, although it needs to be updated again as I've got a few more CD's to add to the collection.
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=461&hilit=collection+of+dvd+s (http://balloonchat.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=22&t=461&hilit=collection+of+dvd+s)
I only have one which is a tape so fairly old that the sound is so bad and the tape looks like it's a copy of a copy so I couldn't see or hear anything at all. I bought this from a well respected wholesaler in the US and did mention the problem but never heard nothing back from them.
Who would you like to work with dead or alive?
When doing any sort of line twisting, I love working with anyone I can "play off of" - people with a sharp wit. It's a sort of sarcastic taunting back and forth. I think the audience enjoys the playfulness.
I've had the opportunity to work with so many of my favorite balloon twisters, I can't really think of anyone. Well, everyone again! ;)
What is the largest sculpture you've worked on?
Don Caldwell is my ultimate balloon idol. I have admired him since I bought his first video. Lucky for me, Don twisted in a restaurant that was closer to my home than his own. I would frequently stop by just to see what he was working on. He had a very unique situation where he would create large scale sculptures to decorate the lobby and display cases one day a week. On a few occasions, he would allow me to assist him on his endeavors. WHAT a learning experience!!! He is truly a master of his craft.
Once he envisioned a group of restaurant guests waiting in the lobby (Six, to be exact) complete with beverages and hors d'oeuvres. Halloween was a giant Frankenstein's Monster with the Doctor sitting on his shoulder. Christmas... Wow, Christmas! Don's idea was to create a life-like tree. He created a framework of a 6' tree. Don, Eddie Medrano and I spent the next few hours creating branches to insert into the framework to look like a real tree. We weren't done there - next came the ornaments! We left Don to create the Santa and suspended reindeer!
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Marie, Thanks for taking the time to answer the questions on the forum :D
Did you tell us what make you laugh?
What makes me laugh?
My mother-in-law is coming to visit for a month... So, not much, lately :(
Quote from: "justmarie"What makes me laugh?
My mother-in-law is coming to visit for a month... So, not much, lately :(
well that made me laugh :lol:
Graham,
In all honesty, I spend the majority of my time at conventions laughing! I love everyone that I've met in this great community of ours. OK, before you call me on it, of course there are a few exceptions, but we don't need to mention them! ;) For the most part, balloon people are some of the best in the world! I've met people from all over: The Netherlands, Japan, Slovenia, Belgium, France, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Spain, Canada and a few odd ones from the UK... Even when language is a barrier, balloons transcend that.
We put our personalities, our politics and even our religions aside for that brief moment and we share our passion. And for that time... all is right with the world!
Thank you so much for letting me share. I can't wait to see you again.
Huge hugs,
Marie
It's been fun reading your replies :) and I wonder if I should ask who you don't get on with but knowing you as I do that may be a bad move and you may overload the forum with your replies :lol: :lol:
Well I'm looking into coming over for diamond jam in August and then on to a magic masterclass in Vegas
I'm writing this while on the train up to Scotland.
Odd people? - in the UK? - Surely not :D :D