Balloon Chat
Uncategorized Boards => The "Star" Interview => Topic started by: Graham Lee on October 27, 2008, 09:01:42 PM
I met Shonna at one of the first Millennium jams & we seemed to hit it off together straight away. She's a very nice lady even though she has a few annoying habits :D & has a very talented twisting son, Dustin.
I was hoping to chat with Shonna next week at TMJ about how she makes the un-inflated balloon dresses but she may not be able to make it due to a member of her family falling of there stilts & breaking a few bones. Here's hoping things work out for them.
Just sorting out a date for the interview which will probably have to be when we get back from TMJ so around the second week of November.
To see some of Shonna's creations you can have a look at the portfolio page;
http://simplyshonna.balloonhq.com/ (http://simplyshonna.balloonhq.com/)
or their website pages;
http://adventureinfun.com/ (http://adventureinfun.com/)
Shonna has a DVD out on the Sempertex odd shapes called B.O.S.S ***
*** I'm pretty sure thats the title although I've misplaced mine at the moment , when I find it I'll give you an update.
Quick update B.O.S.S stands for Bold Outstanding Specialty Shapes
Have been in touch with Shonna & we have got a date finalized for her balloon chat interview which will be 19/25th Jan
Graham Lee
First, I would like to apologize for not responding sooner with this interview. My husband and I have been celebrating our 21st wedding Anniversary which is today Tuesday January 20.
For those of you who don't know me, I would like to share a little about myself and my family Company. In 2004 I started an Entertainment company Adventure In Fun in Gettysburg, PA. My three children, Dustin--14; Alayna-- 13; and Alysa—8 at that time, all started helping me. In the beginning we only offered balloon twisting, face painting, and educational magic, but now we are a full-time full service entertainment company. We spend a lot of time going to conventions to learn more from other talented entertainers. TMJ 04 was my first introduction to the world of entertainment and balloons. Since then we have all learned and improved our skills. TMJ 04 was the best thing that could have helped my business
For now I am just going to answer the questions Graham sent me, but please feel free to ask me anything else pertaining to balloons.
1. What road led you into balloon modelling?
I first started "playing with balloons when I was 19 years old. My mother owned a costume shop which carried some general supplies for entertainers including basic magic tricks, balloons, and face paints. One day when the shop wasn't busy, I picked up one of the books by Ralph Dewey that we carried and decided to try and make a few. Before that I had already started doing balloon deliveries. I quit doing balloons for a short time from 1990 when Dustin was born to 1997 when Dustin told his school that I was a magician and a balloon maker.
2. When did you get started with balloons?
I started doing balloons full-time in 2004 when my husband quit his job and told me it was my turn to support our family. I had actually started earlier though in 1985 when I started doing costumed balloon deliveries. It was a blast to dress up and perform for people since normally I was very shy.
3. What is your best twisting experience?
My best twisting experience was while working in Shanghai China in 2007. All of the people over there were so happy with anything we made and were very friendly and kind to us. Another really memorable experience was while doing balloons for children in the orphanages in Bosnia.
4. What is the worst thing that has ever happened to you during a ballooning/entertaining session?
I was doing an educational show in Sembach, Germany and I hadn't judged the stage properly. The space I had to perform in was smaller than usual. I was doing by skit with my balloon bike talking about accidents happening when I fell of the stage and hurt my back. Even though I was in extreme pain, I continued the show and did two more for the day. As soon as I was done, I went right to the emergency room and found out I had slipped a disc. I still had two more shows to do the next day so they gave me lots of pain medication. My husband had to drive 6 hours to come help me since I couldn't drive while medicated. Because I was so foggy from the drugs, I started to cry when I talked about accidents. It was really embarrassing.....
5. What do you most enjoy about twisting & why?
I most enjoy coming up with new ideas and getting to met new people. I love traveling and getting to see different parts of the world. I never thought that just "playing with balloons" would bring me so much success and allow me to travel more than my husband's past career.I will try up-loading some photos very soon.[attachment=0:2y67cp72][/attachment]ice for Balloon Chat.jpg[/attachment:2y67cp72]
One of the best things about un-inflated dresses is they can be washed and worn again and again....[attachment=1:204w0uao][/attachment]n511760028_5476927_8894.jpg[/attachment:204w0uao]
I am really not good at this computer stuff! I keep trying to add more photos to the previous posts, but I can't quite do it...
I am glad that balloons are easier to work with than computers!LOL
My Fire and Ice dresses have gotten a lot of use. They were both first made for Alayna and her friend just to wear to the Fashion Show at Balloon Camp. Later they were featured in the Fashion Show in Shanghai produced by Guido Verhoef. Alayna then brought them to TMJ 08 for people to see how they were made at Graham's request.
Their last use was in Orlando for a Face and Body Painting Convention in Orlando, Florida. Now I am retiring them for awhile. I have a lot of new dresses I want to show, but I am waiting for the proper venue.
These are the dresses I made while there in Orlando. I am not very good with inflated weaving. When asked about one of my worst twisting experiences, I should have told about making Alysa's dress.
For some reason my figure nails kept splitting at this convention and by the time I started on Alysa's dress, I had a handfull of split ragged nails. I kept popping the dress as I was making it. I felt like quitting and just crying, but I needed to make Alysa a dress to wear. Now I need to make her a new dress to make up for the mess I made of this one!LOL.
The first dress I made was for the Fashion Show in Shanghai produced by Paul Bellanger. I really wasn't prepared to do it and didn't want to make one, but I think it turned out pretty good. My original plan was to bring it home for Alayna as a present, but the Chinese government wanted to keep it. At least it got me a TV interview....
My second dress making experience was with "Just Marie" Dadow in Miami, Florida for the Sabado Gigante show. Dustin and Alayna went with us. It was a sur-real experience being on TV and being treated so well while we were there. I would have to count that as one of my "top ten" balloon experiences.
6. What is your favourite age to entertain?
If I am making balloon sculptures, my favorite age is 8 and older because they can appreciate the different things I am making and have more patience. When I am doing a show, I like the kids to be between 3 and 12 because the say the funniest things that make me laugh.
7. Do you have the same act but vary the presentation for all ages or do you have set acts for different ages?
I have different acts for different ages and themes. I do not like to do the same thing at parties because usually I have already been seen by the same children just a couple of weeks prior. I like to change what I do all the time. I mean my same "simple" style is there, but I try to only make balloons that match the theme of the party I am doing and only make each balloon once. That is why it is important to be able to make a butterfly, or any design, several ways. :) I also change my magic tricks if possible. I don't want the kids to get tired or bored of seeing the same thing.
8. What is your favourite thing to make at the moment?
I love to make balloons out of specialty shape balloons. You can do the coolest designs really quick and since they are larger balloons, they tend to last longer. I love to go to parties and hear the parents say that their children still have my balloon from 3 weeks ago and it still looks good. Betallatex/Sepertex, is a great balloon.
9. What is the most asked for model?
That really depends on the theme of the party. In all honesty I try not to repeat the same balloon at any event unless I am doing line work. If I am doing line work, I would have to say kids ask for a flower or sword the most. Once they see the specialty shape designs though, they start asking for only those.
10. What do you tend to do more of if stuck in the 'balloon production line' model?
I make a lot of Rabbits, Bears, Mice, Dolls, Butterflies, Snails, and Aliens. They are the designs on my DVD. I think my DVD has been discontinued. At least I hope it has. I never received any compensation for them and I was told by the producer of them that he never sold any,(Strange thing is, people tell me all the time that they have my DVD and loved it.) so I now have put all my designs on a CD. Dustin and I have worked together to make about 15 different CD's now. For each Specialty Shape we have included at least 10 proven and useable designs. We have also made CD's for different Holidays and Themes. I would also like to suggest to any of you if you are going to make a DVD with someone, please get every thing you agree upon in a contract, even if you are really good friends with the person making it for you. Remember marriages end all the time; the same goes for friendships. :cry:
11. Who is your market aimed at?
My main market is for people who want to have FUN! I prefer to do High End Birthday Parties were I only need to make 5 to 10 balloons per hour. Actually right now we are aiming for promotional work and corporate work. I will always want to do parties and school shows though because kids are truthful and funny. If you suck they tell you, if they like you they tell you. If you get an applause, you know it is real and you have done your job. :D Chilren are the most precious gifts there are. I hope I always am fortunate enough to get the opportunity to speed time with children, mine and others. ;)
12. What kind of work do you do mostly - parties? Corporate? Etc
Currently we do a lot of corporate parties or Promotional Events. Birthdays are big for us too. I do not feel like I am good at marketing, so I just take what comes and I am happy when something big lands at my feet. I need to learn how to market us better. One day I hope to be doing shows with my whole family. Most of you don't know my husband, but he is really funny. When we get a show together, I will be the straight guy and he will the funny one. I really want to be able to perform with my children. I want to keep them as close to me as possible for as long as I can. ;)
13. What is your favourite/ideal gig to do?
I would love to be asked to make dresses for my own fashion show. I am beginning to get the hang of the inflated dresses. (Never try to make them with split nails!) I also like using balloons like fabric. Being part of the different Fashion Shows has been a real pleasure and blessing. I feel very honored to have been able to work along side artist like Debbie Stevens, Sofie VanDewyer, Just Marie, Colin, Rie, Ken Stillman, Micha DeHan, and my own son Dustin on different projects. The friendships I have gained from these experiences has been priceless. ;)
14. What irritates you most at a gig?
I hate when wealthy people treat us like we are servants and less than them. I know that a lot of the people I work for are millionaires, but I don't believe that just because a person has money he has the right to treat people poorly. I can't stand mothers who try to insist I give their child a second balloon or that I stay to do "just one more". I would rather never go back to some of these clients than pamper and spoil there child more. RUDE is RUDE no matter how much money someone has. :x
Hi, hope you had a good wedding anniversary.
My question is who would yoummost like to make a balloon model, or dress for and why? What would yu make them ?
Hi Shonna
Thank you for taking the time to give such detailed answers to the questions. It has been very nice to read everything and to see your creations.
Hi Professor Twist,
Actually, I have been thinking it would be very cool to make a balloon caricature of the Obama girls, Sasha and Malia. Ever since Obama won, the little girls at my restaurants ask me to make them Sasha and Malia Princesses, so it just became a thought that it would be cool to make a balloon for them. If it could be a dress, that would be even better. :D
Also, Just Marie and I are working on another idea which is more likely to happen. I don't really care much about movie stars or famous people, except they get you noticed. What we would really like to do is a fashion show to promote Breast Cancer Awareness. We would like to make lots of different "Pink" dresses and "Wow" wouldn't it be great to get some celebrities to model them? I would be happy though just having survivors wearing them. Right now I have pitched the idea to a few women who give a lot to charities for tax deductions. I am hoping one of them will like my idea and help us out. It is probably just a pipe dream, but what are we without our dreams??? ;)
Hi Thelma,
Thanks for the compliment on my interview. I am really nervous being here. I hadn't really visited Balloon Chat before, so I didn't know what to expect. When I saw the list of names that had been interviewed before me, I was really scared to do this. I can't believe that Graham would think that highly of me. :? Maybe I will have to stop calling him Richard. :P
Also, I just wanted to tell you how much I always enjoy seeing you at TMJ when I get to go. You are amazingly fun and funny, not to mention creative and talented. I loved your bikini at TMJ 07, especially when Bibo wore it. :lol: :lol: :lol: I still laugh every time I think about it. ;)
13. What is your favourite/ideal gig to do?
Actually what I like best to do with balloons is go to places where kids don't usually get a chance to get great balloons. I know that some people don't like the idea of others volunteering their time because they think it is taking a paying job from them but I really don't think that a lot of the people I make balloons for would ever be able to pay for what I do. I started doing balloons because I love to make children happy and see people smile. Sometimes after I have been around a lot of bratty kids, I just want to see kids that really do appreciate someone just being nice to them and getting the chance to get their face painted or see a magic trick. The pressure to "earn my pay" is gone and I just get to be "Simply Shonna" and remember why I really love my job. :D
Okay, I love the jobs like Dustin and I are doing tomorrow also. :P We will have 2 hours each to make balloons for about a total of 25 kids. They only expect us to make one balloon per child, so that will allow us 10 to 15 minutes per design. That is nice. We can actually create and come up with ideas on the spot. The parents are paying our top rate and they will most likely ignore us and leave their children and nannies with us until the end when they pay us and tell us how great we are. I hope that they will take the time to look at the presentation Dustin and I are putting together on balloon dresses and costumes because they are the ones who give tens of thousands away at one time for charity. I keep praying that one day, one of them just really thinks we are the bomb and does sponsor a big project for us....again, it doesn't hurt to dream. ;)
14. What irritates you most at a gig?
One of the things that irritates me the most is when I am in a line-work situation and an employee comes up and tells me what balloons they would like me to make them in my spare time. "What spare time, @#$, I have a long line." Okay I don't answer like that, but I think it. ;)
Also it bothers me at parties when most the parents are complimentary but you get that one who can't stop themselves from complaining about how long it takes to get a balloon. :roll:
Or there is the parent who waits until you have closed your line(que) off and comes up at the end and says they had been waiting all day until you weren't busy and there wasn't a line. "Ah, yeah dummy, there isn't a line because I am finished for the day!" :x
15. How do you book yourself?
I pray for the phone to ring. ;) I stare at it all day wishing and thinking happy thoughts, you know like the secret. :lol: Okay, I am being a little sarcastic tonight; I am not sure why, but sometimes that happens. :?
Anyway, I am not really good at bookings. I prefer for agents to book me. We don't get enough jobs through them though, so I am thinking of hiring someone to work in my office. I hate selling myself on the phone. I hate people trying to talk me down in price because the other person they called was less. I have a hard time not telling them to just book the other person then because you get what you pay for especially when they insist they want Dustin or I because they have seen us before and know we are "the best" but they just can't seem to understand that being "the best" means you are worth more than "Joe Shmoe". ;)
16. What's the biggest thing you've ever made?
I was fortunate to be able to work on the first Balloon Manor and this last Balloon Manor. I didn't make anything big for them by myself, but I helped out with a lot of the different rooms. It is an awesome experience. Rob, Dustin and I have also helped Steve Jones with most of his Balloon Town USA projects. I learned a lot from working with Steve. The first years were the best and he was a great host when it was a small group. When you start involving a lot of people and go larger with a project, the larger the stress on the producers and promoters is. It was great to be involved with these things though. The friendships and connections you make are well worth the endless hours of volunteer work and lack of sleep. It is great to see the final project. :D
The largest thing I have ever made on my own is a Brian Asman style couch. I have made a few for IKEA and different furniture stores here. I love to see the peoples reaction when they sit on the couch. It is very cool. :D
17. What has been your proudest achievement in our wonderful world of twisted latex?
My proudest achievement so far would have to be being able to get my children involved in the business too. Whenever Dustin comes up with something new, I am like "WOW! That talented kid is my son." I have been trying hard not to constantly talk about him anymore though because it embarrasses him and makes some balloon people really angry at me. He doesn't like me to tell our customers how great he is and he also feels really shy about me telling other balloon people he is great because he thinks so many others are so much better than him and he still has a lot to learn. ;)
Alayna and Alysa make me really proud too because they are very independent for their age. :) Okay, they don't always make great choices, but they love balloons and they love people and they volunteer a lot for the less fortunate. When I see how much all three of them put into the balloon community and the promotion of balloons as art, I almost start to cry sometimes. :oops: (Yes I am a sappy stage mom!) :oops: :oops:
Here are a few dresses from the Shanghai Fashion Show AEMI 08
18. What advice would you give to someone starting out, or wanting to increase their business?
For someone who is starting out in the balloon business, I would suggest that they attend TMJ or Twist and Shout. If they can not afford to go to one yet, then I would suggest attending lectures or Jams whenever they could. I also think it is a good idea to join the different balloon forums, like this one or balloonhq.com
If they are looking to increase their business, then I would say market themselves. If they are capable of making large nice sculptures, then I would make some up and leave them in places that have high visibility with contact information on how to reach you. In the USA, banks and hair saloons usually let you leave nice sculptures in them. I also believe that when you are starting out, it is good to look for agents that book line-work jobs as well as shows. The more you can get your name out there, the more you will get work.
I have heard some other professional twisters say that you should keep your full-time job until you are making enough to quit your job and be okay for 3 to 6 months. Personally, I just made the decision to do balloons and did. I think "need" and "hunger" is a great motivater to get you out there promoting yourself and looking for balloon work. I don't regret the way I did it. ;)
19. What road in latex do you see yourself taking in the future?
I would like to be primarily teaching others and making large promotional pieces or dresses. We are talking about starting up in décor too. I have already bought a lot of the equipment needed to do columns, walls, ect.
I also have been trying to re-write my educational magic shows to include balloons. We want to brand ourselves as the balloon family.
20. What is your personal goal when you set off to work? Is it money or to entertain etc?
That depends. Basically I use to do balloons as a hobby until 2004. When my husband and I temporarily separated, I had to find some way to support my children. I never really had ever gotten any training in anything else when I was younger. Until I had married my husband, I was basically just a party girl. I started modeling and performing when I was 17 years old. I married my husband thinking I would never have to work or be anything other than a wife or mom. My magic, balloon skills and face painting were for my own enjoyment, not for anything else really. So, I guess for awhile, my mine goal after 2004 was to make money. Now that we have developed a successful business, I am focusing more on the entertainment and art of balloons. My husband joined us in our business in 2006, and we have all been working together to become better entertainers and artist. We are constantly adding to our skills.
21. What are your balloon goals for the future?
I would really like to put on a large educational project about Gettysburg and the Civil War to raise money to help "Teens in Trouble" or "Children with Disabilities" or "Balloon Artist Mother of Three".
Like I mentioned before, I am currently trying to find someone to sponsor a fashion show for Breast Cancer Awareness.
22. If you could start all over again, would you change anything?
Nope. Everything I have been through has made me who I am today. It seems that all the bad things I have been through have made things really better in the end. Our trails in life are what we learn from for future success.
23. Who is the most famous person you have made a balloon creation for?
The most famous person I have ever made a balloon for is Don Francisco for the Sabado Gigante Show. The next most famous would be "Flash"
Hi Shonna,
I like reading your post, they are very interesting.
After I saw the amazing dresses on the pictures you posted I'm wondering where you get the inspiration from. Do you look at normal dresses or is it just your imagination?
:idea: I think it would be cool to have a picture with 2 models : 1 with a normal dress and 1 with a balloon version of the dress!
Petra
Hi Petra,
Thank you for the compliment. Right now I haven't really tried copying a dress. Mostly I just make them up as I go, and they are always different than I have envisioned them. Now that I am working more with Just Marie, I am trying to make copies of dresses with the in-flated balloons. Working with un-inflated balloons is strange. It is not the same as fabric. It doesn not bend or pleat as well and it is very hard to sew them. I like doing it though, although sometime it makes me nuts.
If I do copy a dress next time, then I will try as you say. ;)
24. How would you like the future of balloon modeling to develop?
I really hope that one day people truly see balloon twisters as true artist. There is a difference though in what different twisters do. I personally think it is easy to follow recipes to re-create sculptures, but it is different when an artist looks at something and makes it without any instructions; just purely from their own eye. I see all balloon modeling as art, but I think it is a "true artist" that comes up with new designs and new concepts. My dream is for there to be more people who are willing to pay to have large scale sculptures made with balloons without us having to be "entertaining" the whole time. I know that for some people it is enough to just watch it happen. Dustin and I have been fortunate enough to get some jobs that all we have to do is just make a sculpture for on lookers, and it is great to hear their applause and hear their words of awe and wonderment as the balloons we "twist" turn into things.
25. How do you keep the enthusiasm going & what still excites you about our great world of latex.
I really think going to conventions and working on large projects helps excite me and keep me enthusiastic about the balloon world. There is only so much we can accomplish alone, but when we work as a group, the results can be surreal. Also, at the conventions you get to see so many wonderful things done with balloons. Whether I want it or not, the majority of my work right now is still the "quick and easy." I am usually being a balloon machine, even when I am allowed 10 to 15 minutes per design; I am normally just making a sculpture from my memory bank that has a lot of detail. At conventions you get to see some real innovative creative pieces and also be around other twisted people who love latex. It is always like a shot in the arm! ;)
Hey, here is a picture of Graham learning how to do balloon dresses at TMJ 08. I hope he got a close enough look to be able to make one soon! :lol:
Alayna tells me Graham was a perfect gentleman. He must have been on better behavior than when I am around. ;) I don't know if I have ever seen him be a gentleman :lol: :lol:
26. What inspires or is your thought process in coming up with a new design?
If we are talking about dresses, I usually decide to make a dress because one of my girls wants one. :) Even when I made the dresses for China, I asked Alayna to help me decide what to make so that it would be something she could wear sometime somewhere. The dresses take a lot of time and tedious work. I don't think I would do one if it wasn't for Alayna or Alysa or for really big money. ;) If we get to do the Fashion Show for Breast Cancer, that will be different. Marie and I are already looking for ideas and I have some started. If it never happens, then Alayna and Alysa will have a closet full of Balloon dresses. I know a lot of people make the dresses or other new pieces for competition, but I rarely compete. I prefer not having the pressure or stress.
Most of the original ideas I have with modeling balloons are with Specialty Shapes. Usually I come up with a new idea when I am sleeping. An idea pops into my head and I try it when I get up. Also I come up with new ideas when clients ask for something different. I am fortunate to have Dustin though. If I don't have the time, then Dustin makes me something on the spot to help me. Later we change it or add to it to make it better. It might be a curse to have him around because I don't try as hard as I might if he wasn't here. :P
27. Who would you like to work with dead or alive?
The balloon artist/entertainers I have met that I feel I could learn the most from are Bibo, Willy Monroe, Guido, Bido, Sophie Vandewyer, Koon, Ingrid Hogers, Shirley Ray, Sean Rooney, Jack Mattson, Katie, Laibstain, Colin, Rie and so many more. I always have a great time and learn so much when I get to work with Debbie Stevens, Ken Stillman, and Just Marie.
My favorite all time comedian is Lucille Ball. I would love to have had the opportunity to work with her, Carol Bunett, Lilly Tomlin, The Three Stooges, George Carlin, Chaplin, Goldie Hawn & Red Skeleton. The list would be endless if I had to name all the greats I would like to have worked with dead or alive.
28. What makes you laugh?
It depends on my mood. Just Marie makes me laugh a lot, very sarcastic that one.... My children make me laugh and smile. Comedy shows make me laugh. Little kids make me laugh. Baby animals make me laugh. My husband makes me laugh. Being tickled makes me laugh
If latex wasn't the love of your life, what would be?
If I hadn't fallen in love with latex, I probably would have become an event planner if there weren't any openings at Walmarts Beauty Department.
You attend many of the balloon related events. Do you recommend them to newcomers to the industry?
Tell us about your experiences, people you've met, things you've learned, etc.
Who's that perv checking out Alayna and what is she wearing? ;)
I hear your son, Dustin Queary, is also a pretty mediocre balloon twister, too. Did you teach him balloons?
Quote from: "justmarie"Who's that perv checking out Alayna;)
Marie, That had me rolling about :D :D
It may well be me :lol: :lol:
Quote from: "justmarie"I hear your son, Dustin Queary, is also a pretty mediocre balloon twister, too. Did you teach him balloons?
Yes I heard that as well :lol: :lol:
I'm having trouble seeing the screen from laughing & crying so much here :lol: :lol:
Hi Shonna,
thanks for answering all the questions - its all very interesting.
I have one for you!
Balloon dresses - why the rise in popularity of contructing them? I've seen them made at TMJ and they take DAYS!
Cheers
Danny :D
I first found out about the "POP" culture in 2004. Tmyers sent me info on TMJ and I made arrangements to attend since we were still living in Germany. I was completely blown away by what I saw there. What impressed me the most about TMJ was the level of entertainment skills and the openness of the people in general. Since TMJ 04, I have attended Twist and Shout, Diamond Jam, and Balloon Camp. I have also attend different smaller jams and get togethers for balloon artist.
I believe that conventions are the best place for people starting out to learn about the business and to network. If I hadn't gone to TMJ 04 I may never have met some of my favorite people like Colin, Luc B, Graham (RICHARD), Ingrid, Guido, Bido, Willy, Sean, and so many others.
Even though I had been doing balloons for awhile, it wasn't until Dustin saw Sean Rooney and the others that he took an interest in the balloons. We were so hyped up by what we saw there that I decided to do balloons full-time as a way to support my family.
Diamond Jam was also an awesome experience. It was smaller and friendlier. That is were I first met "Just Marie" and Ken Stillman. All the friendships I have gained from these experiences have been amazing.
Although I know that most people seem to prefer Twist and Shout, my personal experiences with it have never been great. The convention is awesome, but I have almost always been sick when we go so I miss a lot of the great Jam sessions. Plus it is a little more "clickish". If you are new to the industry, you most likely wouldn't notice it, but once you are deeper into the politics of the balloon community, you can see it, especially if you don't belong to a certain click. I don't belong to any click of balloon artist. :( Still, Patty Sorrell does an amazing job organizing the event. They bring in some of the best instructors in the industry, and it is always held in a convenient location and great hotel. Artist from all over the world come to compete and see what Twist and Shout is all about. This year should be spectacular. I think it is their 10th Anniversary.
It would take me days to tell you about my experiences from the conventions. :o :lol: 8-) :oops:
Maybe if I am allowed, I will add more later when I return from a "local" balloon jam. ;)
Oh man, I am suppose to be at a Jam already! Dustin is okay with balloons, but I didn't teach him. If I had, he would be better! :lol: :lol:
I think the new interest in balloons is because we can make them so nice now. The skills of the balloon artist in general have been growing in leaps and bounds over the past years. People seem to be amazed in general at what we can do. Dresses are fun!
Alayna is standing over my shoulder ready to kill me if I don't leave.
I will post more later...
Quote
I hear your son, Dustin Queary, is also a pretty mediocre balloon twister, too. Did you teach him balloons?
Okay, now that I can actually take a little time to answer this question, yes, Dustin is a mediocre balloon twister. He has been doing balloons since 2004 and he still has a long way to go before he is recognized as one of the greats. :P If anyone would like to see some of his work, you can search for his videos on You-Tube under his name.
He also has made a few things like a Batmobile Car and helped with a Delorean. He may have won a few awards, but I can't remember. ;)
Everytime I see his creations, I think to myself, I must be a great teacher. ;) Okay, truth be known, Dustin's balloon skills surpassed mine a long time ago, but don't tell him. If he realizes he is better than me, he may just move out and start a business in competition to mine. :lol:
He has been working on some new CD's that cover many different topics. Since I am his mother, my critque of them won't be very helpful, but I think his designs are awesome!
One of our biggests problems right now is I am computer illiterate. I can barely figure out how to post here or to attach pictures. We can't even get onto our own website to make changes. I am looking for someone to help us so that we can finally "sell" some of the things we have to offer and actually up-date everything about us. I am actually embarrassed to send people to our website because it really doesn't reflect what we are currently doing or what we look like. Crazy huh?
But our business is doing good via word of month about our work. People like us and keep referring their friends to us. I imagine our business would grow by leaps and bounds if we could just figure out how to do things the proper business way..... :oops: ;)
QuoteBalloon dresses - why the rise in popularity of contructing them? I've seen them made at TMJ and they take DAYS! [/quote
I think balloon dresses have become so popular because balloons are fun! People love balloons and to see the amazing dresses made out of them just seems to make people feel a little magical. Like you said, they take hours to create, but I think people who see them can appreciate it as real skill. At first a lot of balloon twisters may think it will be easy to make a dress, until they try it. Of course some people already have excellent twisting skills like Graham and have real success at making them right off, but for the general balloon twister who tries to make a dress, they will see it is one of the most tedious hard sculptures to do.
The precision of dresses by Rie, Just Marie, Colin, Debbie Stevens, Ori, Sofie and some of the other great balloon artists is unbelievable. If you really look at the differences in the "pieces of art" done by some of these artist compared to others who are now attempting the art form, it is mind blowing. For me personally, what impresses me most is how some of them manage to really make balloons flattering to the female figure. A lot of the balloon dresses made are great works of art, but not flattering to the female body. In my opinion the ones that really look like something you would see someone wearing and not realize they are balloons at first are the best. Don't get me wrong, I can see the skill of some artist in the work they do, but a lot of their dresses don't impress me for the shear fact that they make the model look "dimensionally challenged" when if fact she has an awesome figure. I hope one day that I can make the inflated dresses as well as I make the un-inflated dresses. If I master that skill, I think I will really feel like a master "twister". ;) When I see someone's work in person, I can really appreciate it because I know they did not "photo shop" it to look better. I have seen some dresses posted on line that I saw in person, and I know for a fact that someone spent some time at the computer making them look better. ;) :shock: I wish I had that skill too! :lol:
Anyway, I think we have just begun to see what balloon artists will be able to do with balloons for dresses. I am hoping that we will see a lot more artist attempt dress making, and that we will see new techniques. I also hope that as people attempt them, they start to realize that not just anyone can make a dress, and make it look good. ;).
Shonna,
Thanks very much for taking the time to answer the questions on the forum so comprehensively :D
It has made for a very interesting & enjoyable read which must be the view of others as well due to the amount of hits you've had for the first week.
Can you plug your websites again & tell everyone where your DVD's CD's etc can be purchased from ;)
Graham Lee
Thanks Graham,
Our website is http://adventureinfun.com (http://adventureinfun.com)
Currently it is not what we want, so I will probably be embarrassed if people go looking for it. ;)
Hopefully we will have it looking good and more functional by the Spring when things get really busy here.
My first attempt at instructional DVD's proved more educational on my part. They weren't profitable, nor where they the caliber I'ld have liked them to be. However, you can still get Dustin's through Tmyers or Aera-Deco Video. Dustin is not happy with the ones he made when he was 15 and 16, he has come up with better designs and improvements to what he was doing. We are both in the process of producing a large series of CD's with the sculptures we currently use. I think they will be some of the best on the market. :P
There may be some over-lap of a few designs, but I honestly feel happy when a DVD or CD has at least one useful thing on it.
Dustin doesn't look at anyone elses CD's or DVD's and he rarely attends classes at conventions. Some of Dustin's heros are Jack Mattson and Patrick VanDeVen. We love that we are part of a big caring and sharing community. It is a compliment when someone uses our designs. We are big latex freaks!
Happy Twisting Everyone and thanks for taking the time to read my answers! I am truly honored that any of you took the time, and that Graham even thought of me as someone to interview! :shock:
Shonna Flanigan aka Simply Shonna
"Let us make your event An Adventure In Fun!"
http://adventureinfun.com (http://adventureinfun.com)
or you can find us through balloonhq as Shonna Flanigan or Dustin Queary.
PS:Dustin is my son who is a mediocre twister, but I believe he will be great one day with a little practice. ;)