Wednesday, March 21, 2012

World Balloon Convention 2012

Welcome to my WBC2012 blog. Get your self a cuppa and kick back.

I am sitting on the tenth floor of the Shearton Hotel Dallas, and so far my toes are still dry. Rather bleak outside and the cable TV news stations are all having a great time with Tornado reports and doing live crosses to poor junior reporters stuck around Dallas getting absolutely drenched. Hair in face, barely able to keep their eyes open. Great viewing!

Anyway, we left Sydney airport on Sunday 18th. Here is my harem and I getting ready to board the plane for our 15 hour flight...


We arrived at the Balloon Convention and there were no balloons up anywhere. Quite a strange feeling really, but that was our job. The Aussie team had volunteered to decorate the foyer, main areas of the convention and the surrounds.
By the end of Monday we had to have the foyer completed.
We started the day with Tina having a birthday. A special hat and balloon for the lady turning 21...again!


7am and we are in our room, getting organised for the day. Not much sleep enjoyed by most of us. As you can see we got some special T-shirts made up for the team. Believe me you cannot miss us.


Mala, Amanda, Beth and Di had designed our theme. It was all about colour and coming together of individual colours to create a greater variety colours. Great metaphor ladies!They illustrated this via paint pots.
Here is Mala (...looks like Crystal doing all the work Mala...) and some of the many big paint pots being constructed with colour splashing out of them


My job was to frame the foyer piece. By far the largest frame I had ever had to design and build, and a definite challenge.


While I was constructing and attaching, the rest of the team were beavering away getting everything organised. We have the colour wheel going, paint pots in various sizes, the white balloon garlands stack are for the foyer wall. It is ALL happening.


By 1.30pm we were ready to rig. A major operation to get the 5 metre tall structure along the 2.5 high corridor and over the rail of the balcony in one piece. Yes it was 5 metres tall.


As you can see we completed the brief and the foyer and other areas were done. 95% decor completed before we clocked off at midnight. A mighty effort by the Aussie team. As I write Amanda, Matt and much of the team are about to start the construction of the large sculpture competition piece, so I hope to be able to bring you images of that in my next blog. They are pitting their talents against the best in the world. We wish them best of luck. I am excluded from that as I am an instructor, and may have to judge.
Going to do the 5% finishing touches so full and complete pictures in tomorrows post - including the foyer wall and Mr Q.

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