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Meredith- And now to artist who deal in a rather unexpected medium, balloons. Today's
Jenna Wolfe is here with that story. Good Morning Jenna.
Jenna - Good Morning Meredith, I know what you thinking, when I say balloon art, your
picturing creepy clowns and interesting looking animals but, you'd be amazed what balloon
artists who take their job very seriously can do with a little latex and a lot of imagination.
*voice over* Jenna- Sin City... Flashing neon... Beautiful people... And, a lot of hot air...
Welcome, to balloon camp, Vegas style.
Every summer 400 hundred of the most talented balloon artists in the world converge upon
Las Vegas.
Dave Scott- The general public unfortunately thinks of balloons as a helium balloon on
a string.
Jenna - How long did it take you to do this?
Man 1 *talks over her* - the whole car you mean?
Jenna - Yea
Man 1- the whole thing, yea, only about 25 hours.
Jenna - How did you learn how to do something like this?
*both overlapping each other*
Man 1- I went to prison...
Jenna - Oh, okay.
Man 1- No, no I'm joking, I'm joking
Jenna: No, I assumed as much, I assumed that it was in prison cause I know I see a lot
of the prison movies where those guys sit around after weight lifting and make balloon
animals all day. Do you have like a favorite balloon scene from a movie like...
Man 1- Well its funny, in the... you'll see balloons a lot. In fact there's a movie out
there called Wedding Crashers...
*movie clip plays*
Man (Movie) - Here you go kid, one happy elephant.
Kid (Movie) - Whatever, make me a bicycle clown.
*end of movie clip*
Jenna - Make me a bicycle clown
Man 1- Yes, yes and its funny some of the newbie twisters, when they get that like they're
like ha ha ha, I can't do that. But, most of the people at these conventions they say
sure, what color.
Man 2- Focus...
*Jenna gasps*
Man 2- Relax, its called pop art for a reason.
Jenna - Alright, so whats the first thing I need to do, the first step.
Man 2- The, the first step is to find something that inspires you and that's what art is about.
Jenna - Can I see?
*Looks at balloon*
Jenna - Matt... I mean I look at this and I think Matt Lauer, or Richard Nixon, but
mainly Matt Lauer.
Jenna - But, if you think this is all fun and games, think again. Special seminars are
held, notes are taken, moves memorized. Something new for beginners and experts alike. But,
mainly beginners.
Man 3- This is a...
Jenna - Balloon...
Man 3 - Okay, just wanted to make sure you've learned.
Jenna - Mark and Cindy Greenfield, were the owners of Party Creations in Connecticut
Mark - I'm astounded at the sessions and classes that we go to and to say "wow, that's such
a simple and basis thing, but we never thought to do it.
*voice over*
Jenna - What happens in balloon camp, definitely doesn't stay at balloon camp. And the three
day intensive course culminates with a little balloon couture.
Jenna - Just so I understand this, so you think this is gonna get on me.
Lady 1- Oh absolutely, that mannequin is set up right for you perfectly. And take a look
at the back, twirl her around...
Jenna - I don't want to pop her
Lady 1- I'll help you...
*Voice over*
Jenna - Designer Debbie Stevens, has created the perfect dress. Now all I have to do is
learn how to walk a runway in three minutes or less...
And at this point, whatever I know, I know..
Lady 2- All the way from New York's NBC Today Show, Ms. Jenna Wolfe.
Jenna - That was crazy.. Adrenaline, I think my next stop is New York fashion week... woohoo...
Jenna - Ask me if I sat down... Just ask me... There is no sitting down at that fashion show
Meredith - What did that even feel like?
Jenna - No, it felt interesting... You've had balloons grabbing you before. So, Larry
Moss is here and Larry is the wonderful creator that made that awesome Matt Lauer, or Richard
Nixon, balloon face for us.
Larry - I had fun with that, also, wanted to have some more fun since I was meeting
some other people I've never met before. We have ***...
Jenna - Twins... Twins... Look at that Carl...
Larry - And Meredith
Meredith - Oh you made me blonde, I like that...
Jenna - And in pigtails, like on the weekend, I love that... It really looks like Meredith...
Meredith - Really I'm not a real blonde but that's very nice.
Jenna - Interestingly enough, it doesn't take him a long time to do this.
Larry - No, it took longer to design it an figure out where I was gonna go with it than
the actual creation of it. It was probably about 10 minutes for each of these.
Meredith - What got you involved in all of this?
Larry - I started as a street magician in New York, around Central Park, I use to do
magic shows and the balloons were a way for me to draw attention to the crowd. And from
drawing the crowd in to see what I was doing.
Carl - Some of these you don't even have to inflate, this is a butinier made of... What
is this?
Larry - This is a balloon with some wiring inside, its stretching, holding the petals
open. There's a lot of material and techniques used. Most of what I do is just twisted...
These are all twisted and tied together, but you can add a little glue, a little wire,
whatever you need to get the effect.
Jenna - You and I were there, give these guys an idea of how serious everyone takes this...
Its not like you go there and everyone's drinking in Vegas, having a great time blowing up balloons
people are very serious about this...
Larry - Its very serious and I've been on both sides attending the classes and taking
the classes. And, people take their notes, pictures, they go try things as soon as class
is over and they don't want to forget. A lot of these people learn so much there that they
want to remember later, then as a teacher I get calls later from people who've attended.
Meredith - Is there something you're planning now, something you'd love to create that you
haven't done yet.
Jenna - Al
Larry - Al, Al would be fun... I'm also working on a series of masterpieces, I've been recreating
some famous masterpieces, I've done the Mona Lisa, I've done... I'm working on Bodicelli's
Venus for a show coming up in Grand Rapids for a price.
Jenna - I'm working on a balloon for my friends party.
Carl - How did you take off that dress?..
Jenna - We're not gonna talk about this on air but, as soon as we go on break... but,
as soon as we go to commercial break... Safety pin...
Meredith - Can I have my face?...
Larry - Absolutely
- Meredith - Thank you very much... There's Jenna in her little outfit...
Jenna - Yes, I still have that...
Meredith - That's beautiful... Alright, thank you Larry, very much... And up next we're
gonna step in the kitchen to put a new spin on...(end of video)