Subject: Re: Prestige Balloons
Date: Sat, 15 Sep 2001 18:23:23 -0400
From: Larry Moss <moss@balloonhq.com>

--On 9/15/01 4:26 PM -0400 FJORDING@aol.com wrote:

>  Now that's what I keep thinking, too. I have balloons in the attic for
> 5-6  years, including some 6-foot Tilcos, and they still inflate to full
> size  without a problem. I have sold off a number of them on eBay and
> gotten no  complaints about them popping. I suspect that balloons don't
> really  deteriorate as rapidly as everyone says they do, unless it is
> brand-specific.

Balloons do degrade very rapidly under the right conditions.  Those 
conditions are heat and direct sunlight.  that doesn't mean you need to 
freeze them as some people recommend. Freezing them will preserve them 
longer, but that's taking things to extremes.  I keep my balloons in the 
basement, and when I hear of something I use being discontinued, I buy up 
what I can, without fear of them crumbling on me.  (I just opened my last 
bag of BSA shining platinum.)  Just don't be careless with them and they'll 
last a while.  By careless, I mean leaving them in your car in the summer, 
or leaving open bags outside where the outside air will get at them.

>   BTW, is there a place (school) one can go to to learn balloon sculpture
> for  commercial use and to become a CBA, or is it an apprenticeship
> thing?

I dont' know of a school in the US that has regular classes in balloon art. 
I've actually talked a few times with the folks at the Rochester Institute 
of Technology about teaching a for credit class in balloon art.  They have 
a very large visual arts program. The idea seemed to intrigue a few people, 
but it hasn't happened yet.  Ask around and get recommendations from other 
people for instructors to talk to.  Many of the instructors you see doing 
classes at conventions are also available privately for full day or longer 
sessions.  I do private sessions.  Marvin Hardy, Royal and Patty Sorell, 
Bruce Walden, Jim and Pat Skistimas, John Holmes are all people that I know 
will work with individuals.  I know there are many more.  I only mention 
them because I have either talked to them about it or heard they do it.  I 
suspect if you approached anyone whose work you enjoy, they'd be willing to 
work with you.  If I'm not mistaken Marvin, Jim and Pat will do the 
apprenticeship thing.  The big thing is to find the right person for the 
kind of stuff you're interested in.  You mentioned doing the CBA stuff, so 
of the people I mentioned, a few would not be appropriate.  (I have my CBA, 
but you can do much better than to ask me to teach you balloon decor.)  I 
think everyone I listed is in the BHQ directory.

All Star Revue is coming up in November.  You can attend that, or wait a 
few months and attend IBAC in March, and see if a convention is what you 
need to get you moving in the right direction for the CBA.

Larry Moss
BalloonHQ.com