After Japan, everything changed. (See On Air: My First Trip to Japan (and the First Giant Balloon Sculpture I Ever Built) for more on that.) The Nebuta sculpture in December of 1998 had pushed balloon art into new territory—and people noticed. Not just friends, fellow balloon twisters, and balloon distributors. I already had their attention … Read more
I didn’t sleep much the week I arrived in Tokyo in December 1998. Not from jet lag, though that certainly didn’t help. No, I was buzzing with nerves and anticipation, preparing to lead the most ambitious balloon project of my life. It was my first trip to Japan, and it was for a New Year’s … Read more
Back in 1999, I knew I found my tribe when T Jam, the first balloon twisting convention, took place. For years, there had been talk of creating this event. It hadn’t happened previously because no one wanted to spend the money to produce a convention that wasn’t guaranteed to be successful. There was interest — … Read more
New Yorker here. I speak American English. I have traveled extensively for work, much of it internationally, which has exposed me to a wide range of languages and cultures. While I’ve always struggled to learn languages other than English, I make an effort to pick up a little wherever I go, even if it’s only … Read more