Defining the Balloon Industry

I am opening a can of worms here by trying to define the  balloon industry and it categories. It is like trying to define Love. Every person in the industry has their own meaning of what a Balloon Artist consists of and what defines them as an Artist.   Yet this term “Balloon Artists” is tossed around as much as people tossing around the word Love.

I think everyone has tried to define the meaning of love with no avail, because once we have established all the variables, somebody tosses in a monkey wrench, and things are skewed.

However, I will try to define the balloon industry into three categories, Balloon Artists, Balloon Entertainment, and Balloon Decorator.

I think of a Balloon Artists (Deco Twister) as a person who’s main goal is to create a sculpture. Materials can be all balloons, glue, sticks, and feather, what ever prop helps complete their artistic vision.  They are contracted to recreate works of art or produce something very original, but their main responsibility to do is build and create a sculpture.

Now, there are people who believe balloon sculpture should be in their purist form and only balloons should be used. No gluing, no drawing, just the balloons are to be used. Nevertheless, I will leave that for another discussion.

Whereas a Balloon Entertainer is, somebody who focuses is on entertaining and using balloons as props.  Their dealing directly with the audience, the client has hired them to be entertaining and interaction occurs. Either on an one-on-one or on stage, the goal is to entertain an audience.  Yes, these people are artistic in nature and have studied under the performing arts program, but their sole purpose is to create an audience reaction using balloons.

Balloon Decorators are the person who plan, deliver, decorate, rig and choose color themes that enhances the venue environment.  They are responsible for all aspect of the balloon décor, which may require hiring Balloon Artists to sculpture figures to be incorporated into the venues them.  Balloon decorator is focused on the room venue and enhance it beyond the clients dream.

If I were to associate one word with each topic, it would be.

• Balloon Artists – Captives
• Balloon Entertainment – Happiness
• Balloon Décor – Grandeur

There are people who overlap into each field to make a living and that is fine.  So why try to define them? It is great to be a jack-of-all-trades, but would it not be better for an individual’s career to be Master of one.  People would look for and seek out their advice? It is like having a college degree, but knowing the subject you excel in and distinguish you from the rests of the pack.

My Conclusion

As I said this is my vision of what the balloon industry is and how I would categories it.  Wouldn’t it be interesting  to be at a balloon conference where the topic of the decision was defining what the industry is and how it should be addressed?  A group of people with ideas, views, perception all together in one room to define the most basic of categories; laying a frame work for all to comprehend fully giving newbie’s a true understanding what the industry is about. But until that day comes, we are left to define the balloon industry as we desire.