This weekend I attended the Fellowship of Christian Magicians convention. A place where balloon twisters, face painters, magicians and jugglers gather to learn, share and exchange ideas. Did I mention that I had a fantastic time!!!
I'm a balloonist and love to twist, this past weekend I got to work with some of the best in my trade: Andrew McDonald, John Holmes, Joe White and Steve Raeburn just to name a few. I even took a class on juggling clubs, which I plan to become more proficient at.
The seminars and workshops were all a great mix of learning and sharing. Later in the evening we were all invited to attend a jam session at a local hotel where there was even more activity.
Lion Head by Andrew McDonald www.macpump.org
During the jam, magicians showed how they do some of their tricks to colleagues and the balloonists were swapping ideas, while trying to improve creations. A group of face painters showed each other ideas in order to quickly add and remove paint from skin.
We were all sharing best practices of what we learned, not just in our craft but also how we would deal with large crowds, eager children and the occasional uncomfortable situation.
Andrew McDonald with his own creation www.macpump.org
One of the best treats for me was the key note speaker, Randal Munson, who spoke about Innovation and Creativity. He addressed how to keep it alive where you work and in your everyday life. I highly recommend hiring him for you next event!!
This was a weekend of continuous improvement for me, not just for my balloon twisting but also on a personal level. The interaction, communication and sharing with others has made me eager for more of the same. Every six weeks a group called the Michigan Twisters meet to share ideas just like this. You can bet I will be there again soon.
Lean is everywhere...even when you're having fun!
Fairy by unknown artist
UPDATE: I've launched my own twisting site at Smiling Bald Balloons
