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Balloons
Michael Crayton is an award winning balloon artist and balloon decorator. Michael has competed in both local and international
competitions.
Most recently, he won 1st Place Small Sculpture
Using Non-Round, Summer Balloon Camp 2006. He has studied with some of the most elite in the business.
He creations have been praised in the US and Europe. Michael has created balloon ART for major sporting events, tourist attractions, and
restaurant chains. His incredible balloons sculptures and balloon decor designs appeal to children and adults
Michael has strived to become the best in his field. In 2005 he collaborated with other premier balloon artists from thru out the country to
create a unique balloon technique. He has also taught several restaurant twisters throughout the US. Join the extensive list of ecstatic
customers by arranging for your event or party now. Whether you're planning a birthday party, Bar/Bat Mitzvah, Grand Opening or Corporate
event, Michael will make it unforgettable!
Balloon modelling or balloon twisting is the shaping of special modelling balloons into almost any given shape, often a balloon animal.
People who create balloon animals and other twisted balloon sculptures are called Twisters, Balloon Benders and Balloon Artists.
Twisters often perform in restaurants, at birthday parties, fairs and at public and private events or functions.
Two of the primary design styles are "single balloon modelling", which restricts itself to the use of one balloon per model, and "multiple
balloon modelling", which uses more than one balloon. Each style has its own set of challenges and skills, but few twisters who have
reached an intermediate or advanced skill level limit themselves to one style or another. Depending on the needs of the moment, they
might easily move between the one-balloon or multiple approaches, or they might even incorporate additional techniques such as
"weaving" and "stuffing". Modelling techniques have evolved to include a range of very complex moves, and a highly specialized
vocabulary has emerged to describe the techniques involved and their resulting creations.
Some twisters inflate their balloons with their own lungs, and for many years this was a standard and necessary part of the act. However,
many now use a pump of some sort, whether it is a hand pump, an electric pump plugged in or run by a battery pack, or a compressed
gas tank containing air or nitrogen. Twisters do not generally fill their creations with helium, as these designs will not usually float
anyway. The balloons for twisting are too porous for helium and the designs are generally too heavy for their size for helium to lift.
Origins of balloon modelling
The origins of balloon modelling are unknown. The 1975 book by "Jolly the Clown" Petri credits "Herman Bonnert from Pennsylvania at a
magician's convention in 1939" as being the first balloontwister. Val Andrews, in Manual of Balloon Modeling, Vol. 1, An Encyclopedic
Series, credits H.J. Bonnert of Scranton, Pennsylvania as being the "daddy of them all." Jim Church III states, "Frank Zacone from
Youngstown, Ohio was doing a balloon act during the
1940s and had been doing the act for some time." Another candidate for first balloon twister is Henry Maar.

Welcome! You have
just found the sight that gives
you access to all the TOP
Entertainers in Houston! I've
been working at Events in
Houston for over 25 years and I
know and am friends with all
these fine entertainers.
Jody Brownd
Caricature Artist
The Place to find exactly what you want to make your event FANTASTIC!
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Hey Deby,
Just wanted to Thank Jody for the event on Sat. evening!!! I received some good feedback from the
client!!! A little of what the client had to say….
I LOVED the artists. They were so nice. I couldn't believe how calm they were in the midst of all
those students but they patiently worked the entire time and did wonderful jobs as well.
THANKS FOR DOING A GREAT JOB!
BEST,
Courtney
Hey Jody,
Just wanted to say thanks for arranging Jody for our event last night. He was fantastic and the girls
loved their sketches. It was a great way to end their season and middle school years! Will
definitely call on him again.
– Lesa
Thank you!!!! Jody and Nick were AWESOME! I will highly recommend them to next years class.
~Vickie