Master Duffy Interview, 18/24th May

Started by Graham Lee, May 13, 2009, 10:34:48 PM

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Graham Lee

Master Duffy has volunteered to answer the questions this week for us all. At trhe moment he is in overdrive with the amount of posts and models he's up loading to the site :D
His website details are; http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-Swi.gzs1 ... 5fQ--?cq=1
"Lets Improve Our Art"
Balloon Excellence 2012 Award Winner
For Services to the Balloon Community.
https://www.balloonartwholesale.co.uk
http://www.sempertexballoons.co.uk

Graham Lee

#1
Master Duffy is going to answer the questions for us this week so if you have any more for him then please fire away, so Master Duffy it's over to you for your answers to the set questions ;)
"Lets Improve Our Art"
Balloon Excellence 2012 Award Winner
For Services to the Balloon Community.
https://www.balloonartwholesale.co.uk
http://www.sempertexballoons.co.uk

Master Duffy

#2
Hello Balloon World! I am so jazzed about the interview and this Web site chat room. Let me introduce myself. I have been twisting in Los Angeles Ca since 1995. I like to do Line Work and also love to work with disabled kids and adults. The twisters I look up to are Jack Mattson, Don & Laura Caldwell. So lets start the interview. :D

Master Duffy

#3
1, What road led you into balloon modeling?
In 1995 I wanted to entertain for my sons first b- day. So I got the book Balloon Sculptures and Balloon Magic. I was good at it and keep gonig from there.

2, when did you get started with balloons?
I started In March 1995 and love it more and more each year.

 3, What's your best twisting experience?
I made a balloon for a blind girl. Her dad told me not too because she was blind and that she would not know what it was. Of course I ignored the dad. I asked her if she wanted a Balloon do or cat. She wanted the dog. I told her everything I was doing and had her place her hands on mine so she could feel how I was making it. She was so happy, she just loved it. When I was done I told her you not blind you just see thing differently. The dad then gave me one dollar and the best experience I will never forget.

4, What is the worst thing that has ever happened to you during a ballooning/entertaining session?
I was at a festive from 9am – 9pm. I twisting the whole time and at the end (Last person) I could not even make a balloon mouse. I think I had twisters cramp.

daveandrews

#4
Hello MD, good to be reading your answers.

re. No. 4 - were you twisting solidly for those 12 hours, or did you get some breaks. Seems an awfully long time to me; my fingers/hands would have siezed up long before 9.00 pm.

Dave
https://www.partymagic.org.uk/

Winner \'People\'s Choice Award\' at KIDabra International Conference
for family and children\'s entertainers in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee

Master Duffy

#5
Quote from: "daveandrews"Hello MD, good to be reading your answers.

re. No. 4 - were you twisting solidly for those 12 hours, or did you get some breaks. Seems an awfully long time to me; my fingers/hands would have siezed up long before 9.00 pm.

Dave

Yes, I did take breaks throughout the day. It was at a festival in San Pedro Ca :cry:
I made about $500.00 US dollars that day. The Line Just would not stop
I had found if you want to do Festival Line Work and be busy the whole time the festival must have a kids area and music.

Master Duffy

#6
5, What do you most enjoy about twisting & why?
It's Table work with Families. I have been working at the same restaurant for 12 years and when you see them grown up it's a wonderful site. One family told me they have pictures of their grandfather with a balloon hat. They told me the happiest times they remember is with me at the restaurant. :D    

6, What's your favorite age to entertain?
Well that would be age 2yrs all the way to 99 years.If there 100yrs I may still let them have a balloon. My oldest balloon customer  to enterain is 97yrs. :o
 
7, Do you have the same act but vary the presentation for all ages or do you have set acts for different ages?
I just clown around with everyone. No Show just act funny. :lol:

8, What's your favorite thing to make at the moment?
Defiantly a fish with bubbles, I ask the kid if he or she wants the bubbles in the front on the back. Funny some kids love it it as if the fish is farting.I Will have to post on balloonchat soon.

 9, What is the most asked for model?
Spiderman and a Mermaid.

Pam Pearce

#7
Love the story of the blind girl - we have done excactly the same as youi and totally agree the response form the blind person is amazing and a memory to be proud of and brings a tear to the eye.

I know we all do different things with balloons in our work, and do class myself as quite experienced in it now (we started 1990) but it does upset me when I hear "I am not a dog and sword merchant"  I think it should be rephrased to " I am an experienced balloon twister" because to me its what suits at the time and the entertainment value you give, your blind girl would not have 'seen' a more detailed model being made.

Pam

Master Duffy

#8
Quote from: "Pam Pearce"Love the story of the blind girl - we have done excactly the same as youi and totally agree the response form the blind person is amazing and a memory to be proud of and brings a tear to the eye.

I know we all do different things with balloons in our work, and do class myself as quite experienced in it now (we started 1990) but it does upset me when I hear "I am not a dog and sword merchant"  I think it should be rephrased to " I am an experienced balloon twister" because to me its what suits at the time and the entertainment value you give, your blind girl would not have 'seen' a more detailed model being made.

Pam
I agree. The experience happened about 8 years ago the little girl is probably about 21years old now. I know that if it happens now I would make a more elaborate balloon figure. Thanks for reading and responding.

Professor T Wist

#9
Hi MD, very interesting reading, keep up the good work.
May I ask you who wuold you most liketo make a balloon model for and why?
What would you make them?

Master Duffy

#10
Quote from: "Professor T Wist"Hi MD, very interesting reading, keep up the good work.
May I ask you who wuold you most liketo make a balloon model for and why?
What would you make them?
I would say it would have to be my Boss at Dodger Stadium. I am going to make him a 6' tall Goofy with a Dodger player uniform and hat. I saw one on a Web site.
Note: My Boss "Eddie" is 6' tall also. I will have to post it on Balloonchat.

Twysted Kreations

#11
Quote3, What's your best twisting experience?
I made a balloon for a blind girl. Her dad told me not too because she was blind and that she would not know what it was. Of course I ignored the dad. I asked her if she wanted a Balloon do or cat. She wanted the dog. I told her everything I was doing and had her place her hands on mine so she could feel how I was making it. She was so happy, she just loved it. When I was done I told her you not blind you just see thing differently. The dad then gave me one dollar and the best experience I will never forget.

I have to agree with you on twisitng for special kids.

I have to totally agree with you on this one - I too twisted a balloon for a blind girl.. it was one of the best moments I have experienced - her dad took a photo of the two of us for me - a treasure I will have forever.

Thank you for sharing your stories, and creations.

Master Duffy

#12
Quote from: "Master Duffy"Hello Balloon World! I am so jazzed about the interview and this Web site chat room. Let me introduce myself. I have been twisting in Los Angeles Ca since 1995. I like to do Line Work and also love to work with disabled kids and adults. The twisters I look up to are Jack Mattson, Don & Laura Caldwell. So lets start the interview. :D

I don't know if I could post a reply from my own Interview but here it goes anyway.
Why is Jack Mattson, Don & Laura Caldwell your mentors?

Master Duffy

#13
Quote from: "Master Duffy"
Quote from: "Master Duffy"Hello Balloon World! I am so jazzed about the interview and this Web site chat room. Let me introduce myself. I have been twisting in Los Angeles Ca since 1995. I like to do Line Work and also love to work with disabled kids and adults. The twisters I look up to are Jack Mattson, Don & Laura Caldwell. So lets start the interview. :D

I don't know if I could post a reply from my own Interview but here it goes anyway.
Why is Jack Mattson, Don & Laura Caldwell your mentors?

Jack Mattson, Don & Laura Caldwell are my mentors not only for there talented balloon art. Its because of there willingness and dedication to bring balloon artist in the area together to improve the balloon art world. I believe a balloon artist new or experienced should be around other artist with a high-level energy and talent. As artist when we gather together with other artist we get ideas from each other this helps us improve faster.

Master Duffy

#14
10, What do you tend to do more of if stuck in the 'balloon production line' model?
Spiderman and a Mermaid.

11, Who is your market aimed at?
Everyone with money. No. Really mainly family birthday parties

12, What kind of work do you do mostly - parties? Corporate? Etc
Birthdays and festivals. Love the Line Work.

13, What is your favorite/ideal gig to do?
Give me Line work with disabled kids and adults any day.

 14, What irritates you most at a gig?
The kid with sticky finger, Parent standing there not telling a word to the kid about pulling on you and getting your stuff. SOOO!! Irritating!!

15, How do you book yourself?
I get all my booking from one restaurant and word of mouth.

16, What's the biggest thing you've ever made?
I made a 6' tall monkey at a park. I attached helium Balloons to if and let it fly away. You Could hear kids say look it's a monkey in the sky.

17, What has been your proudest achievement in our wonderful world of twisted latex?
Well it has to be competing at Twist n Shout 2009. I didn't win, but I was glad that Jack Mattson from Los Angeles Ca. won Mutable competitions.