About Dr. B

About Dr. Balloonatic

Dr. B.A.Loonatic has been performing Magic since the age of 4, and creating balloon sculptures since the age of 8. Now 35 years later, you can have the talents of a polished professional entertainer performing LIVE in your very own living room!

Alot of people ask me how I got started in balloons. Well, here is the story. I have been performing Magic Tricks since I was 4 years old. I spent my earliest childhood years developing a sense of "show" by watching other entertainers. I have always looked beyond what an entertainer was doing "up front" and paid special attention to what they did "in the background" utilizing music, engaging patter, and effective costuming to enhance their performance. Using Magic as an example, even if I know how a particular trick is done, I still to this day get immense satisfaction in seeing someone really do it WELL. On my 8th birthday, my parents took me to a pizza shop in Brockton, MA, where I used to live. There was a balloon entertainer there, and I watched him work the room for about 40 minutes before he came to my table to ask me what I want. I told him I just wanted 2 balloons and that I would make my own. He replied by telling me that he would make anything I wanted and I insisted that I wanted to make my own. He finally relented and gave me 2 balloons. I blew them up myself (those early balloons were ALOT easier to blow up than the professional balloons I use today) and I copied 2 of his designs. He was so impressed, he gave me a whole bag of long, skinny balloons for my birthday. That was my start making Balloon Animals. I immediately incorporated balloon animals into my magic show. I made extensive use of the "basic balloon animal design" (also known as the basic doggie or 3-twist dog) for the next few years until I got tired of making variations on the same design over and over again. I eventually put my balloons "on the shelf", where they stayed for the next several years.

By the time I was in Jr. High School I came across a book called, "Captain Visual's Big Book of Balloon Art", written by Gerry Giovinco. He was doing incredible, groundbreaking work with balloons and making realistic, true-to-life cartoon and animal creations that were simply astonishing. I realized immediately that there was much more to balloons than the simple "basic animal" design and re-acquainted myself with my balloons.

As a young man I never thought of balloons as a truly viable business or as a means of supporting myself. This was a hobby to me, and that is how I treated it. I completed school and became an Electronics Technician, which I did for almost 20 years. Every time I would do a few tricks or perform for the occasional Birthday or Holiday party people would take me aside and tell me that this is what I should be doing, that I was really good at it. I eventually had a major disagreement with management at my work and decided to take the plunge and make my living performing magic and making balloon creations.

I found the Internet to be an incredible source of information, instruction, and materials. I studied the work of industry giants such as Gerry Giovinco (AKA Captain Visual), Marvin Hardy, Ralph Dewey, Ken Stillman and Don Caldwell (AKA Buster Balloon). The work done by these pioneers has been inspirational for me. I also studied the work of several "internet giants", these are amazing balloon twisters whose work is known among other balloon artists, even though few "lay" people know them. The list includes but is not limited to: James Vigeant, Jeanine Von Essen, Ed Chee, John Christianson, Bonnie Davis, "Just" Marie, Fabrizio Bolzoni, Andrew MacDonald, Patrick Van De Ven, "Stretch" the Balloon Dude, and Tawney Noreen, the "Balloon Babe". These people and others have helped me learn the advanced techniques I use to make realistic, impressive balloon creations. There are many more people who influenced me in varying degrees, but time and space constraints prevent me from listing them all here.

I recently experienced the pleasant realization of having come full-circle, so to speak. I frequently hear from other artists who tell me that they were inspired to pursue their art from watching me, which makes me feel very humble, indeed. I hope my story inspires you to pick up a balloon and start twisting. Who knows, you might be the next up-and-coming balloon star!

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