By Irina

Balloon Art: Twisting Balloon Animals

If you never twisted a  balloon into a basic balloon animal, you should try.

Like me, you might discover that this balloon twisting is totally contagious. 

Myself, I discovered balloon twisting only three years ago and I became totally entranced by balloons, balloon twisting and the whole balloon twisting Universe.

You might not know, but there is this fascinating balloon twisting universe, a Balloon Twising Galaxy. It is inhabited by cheeky balloon-blowing blowns, err- clowns.. Oh, no.. my bad.. most of them would prefer to be called Artists.. Balloon Artists, if you will. 

Try balloon twisting for recreation. And if you are in need of a job, in my book, balloon twisting beats waiting on tables!

Balloon Art.. The Art Twisted out of Balloons is in the Eye of the Beholder

Balloon models, balloon sculptures, balloon origami.. Some people call it balloon animals.

I however prefer to call it balloon art... I love the process of creating balloon art from seemingly nothing. Well, if not nothing, but certainly from limply, lifeless, shapeless balloons as the starting point.

First you inflate the balloon, giving it a clay-like bouncy mass. Then you tie it, twist it, pinch it, shape it, cut it as it fits and tie it again. Or, as I like to say, I am folding this balloon by the invisible dotted lines.

I am fascinated by how beautiful balloon art sculptures come out on photos.  If nothing else, balloon art photos are just a pure joy to look at. I thought it's only me, but apparently it's not. I have seen many people glued to my balloon art photo album for long, long, long periods of time.

There should be art books devoted entirely to balloon art.

Balloon Art: Jason Hackenwerth is My All Time Favorite Balloon Artist

Jason Hackenwerth is my all time favorite balloon artist.  What he twists out of balloons exemplifies true Art in Balloon Art form. His abstract balloon art sculptures often resemble monumental live cells or gigantic extra-terrastial flowers.

I never met Jason Hackenwerth in person. But our names did cross when MAKE magazine reviewed my work:  "Irina might just be one of the best balloon artists around!" (oh, no!) and then saying.. Oh, by the way, we have covered other balloon art and link to their review of Jason Hakenwerth's work. Come on...

Jason Hakenwerth's extraordinary Balloon Art always gives me hope that one day I too might be able to figure out how to be more of an ARTIST than a manufacturer of balloon sculptures. Don't get me wrong...  manufacturing of balloon art on demand is not that bad. It beats any other way of earning a living that I've mastered at this time.

Actually, I hope that a museum curator or an art advisor, yes, an art advisor, the one who helps clients learn about art, buy it, sell it and loan it to museums, will stumble over to my site one day.

Mighty impressed by the the significance of my work in the context of modern art, they would usher me and my balloon art into the world of art galleries, dealers, appraisers and auction houses. LOL. I can dream, can't I? 

Balloons: Balloon Bouquets, Balloon Flower Delivery in Miami, Coconut Grove & Coral Gables

You'd surprise what our balloon bouquet delivery can do for you. I get inspired by the reaction I always get from the recipients. I never had anyone just stay still and calmly excepting our balloon bouquets, be it balloon flowers, balloon hearts or any other balloon delivery. It is always, like.. "OH MY GOD!!!!"

Here they are, some of my balloon bouquets:

Dora the Explorer is One of Our Favorite Kids Birthday Parties Themes

Kids love Dora. And I can identify with her myself. We do Dora the Explorer parties at least a couple of times every month. Here she is, Dora the Explorer.

Birhtday Party Decor Idea: Cancer the Crab if you are born between June 22 to July 22

Here is a birthday party decor. I made for one of my clients in Miami. Her Zodiac sign is Cancer. And she wanted to decorate with Golden Crabs. Here they are, the things of beauty. No?

 

My feelings about fashion, fashion design and designer clothes.

I love fashion. If I had more focus I could be a fashion stylist or fashion designer.

Here is one of my wild balloon art dresses which I designed for my own photoshoot when Readers Digest profiled me. Photographer Kelly LaDuke.

But now I take on only projects that come right into my hands.  If someone reads this blog, looks at my photos and asked me to design something or style a photoshoot, I would consider it if it is a good return on my time. Otherwise, I will stick with what I am doing now, balloon art entertainment.

Another fashion related balloon art design that I did for a story about me in The Miami Herald.

How do I know much about fashion design and modeling? I used to be a model for a short period of time when I first came to the US in 1992. In 1994 I was a body double for Cindy Crawford in her movie "Fair Game" that was filmed in Miami. I didn't have a clue what I was doing at the time. And since I needed to make a living, I got a real job in a software company.

When I was growing up in Russia, I used to make my own dresses, but now it doesn't make any sense for me. I found a way to make a living that can buy me 100 dresses (if I wanted to) for a single day of work. Of course, the way I buy my dresses it is an another story for another post.

I like to redesign, so to speak, my clothes. But my redesign takes only 5 minutes. Right now I am into a bohemian look, so I cut sleeves out of a lot from my jackets  and make cute little vests.

I am glad that I am working for myself and nobody can tell me what my dress code should be. So, I dress totally unconventionally. I really don't care what people think. I dress totally to please my own esthetic senses at the time. Sometimes, I wear a ball gown to my Publix supermarket, but these days are rare. Mostly, I wear cut-off pants with button-up but low-cut and sleeve-less tops....

I use VistaPrint to print my Business Cards and Postcards

If you never tried them before, you definitely should give them a try.

Start with some free business cards by clicking on this link:

I build my business by using no other form of advertising but business cards and postcards printed by VistaPrint.

Only recently I added this blog to my promotional arsenal.

But for the last four years, the cards printed by VistaPrint was all I used. Why? Because I like a ridiculously high return on my investment. I figured that I am getting about 1000% return on my money with VistaPrint cards. It sounds crazy, but it is true!