Springfield's Balloon Lady selected for leadership role at Big Balloon Build in KC
Dena Atchley isn't any ordinary balloon artist. In Springfield, she's known as The Balloon Lady, and next month she'll be displaying her work at the Big Balloon Build in Kansas City.
An international festival, the Big Balloon Build is Dec. 2-4 at the Gregg Klice Community Center in Kansas City. Atchley was chosen as a detail lead for the festival. In this role she'll not only be creating balloon sculptures, but she'll also make sure all the finishing touches are complete before the festival opens to the public.
Atchley first began creating balloon characters and sculptures in 2006 to assist her father, the former owner of Mr. E's Magic & Novelties. Initially, the two attended McAllister's Kids Night. It was during this time that people began to ask Atchley to attend birthday parties or make sculptures for other events. Before its closure, Mr. E's was located at 2307 S. Campbell Ave.
Atchley taught herself how to make simple balloon characters by reading books by popular balloon artist Marvin Hardy. Over the last 16 years, she's also attended several balloon art conventions, allowing her to network and learn new techniques. Today, balloon artistry is her full-time job.
When she's not busy at parties, making balloon animals, swords and hats, Atchley enjoys working on larger, sculptural pieces.
One of her favorite sculptures was created in Heber Springs, Arkansas. With about 20 other artists, she created a life-size car that people could sit in.
"Even as long as I've been in it, which I haven't been in it a crazy amount of time realistically ... I still have my mouth hit the floor sometimes with what can be done with (balloons)," Atchley said.
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When it's time to tear down, Atchley uses a horseshoe-shaped tool with about 20 pins to pop balloon sculptures quickly. She said this process doesn't make her sad, rather she's excited for the next project.
"I get to bring happiness, whether it's from twisting two balloons together to make a candy cane or if it's making an arch with an elf sitting on top of it for a breakfast with Santa," Atchley said. "How can you complain when you have that job?"
Big Balloon Build's second visit to the United States
The Big Balloon Build originated in Wales and the Kansas City festival will be the second in the United States.
The first was in Vincennes, Indiana in April. The festival's theme was Candy Land, with partnership support from Hasbro and Hershey's. Atchley said about 75,000 balloons were used to make archways, gameboard characters and other details. Atchley's team made a gumball machine that stood at least double her height.
For the Kansas City build, Atchley anticipates using about 120,000 balloons. Due to the success of the Indiana event, Hasbro has given the Big Balloon Build authorization to create other popular characters like Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, Rich Uncle Pennybags (the Monopoly man) and Glo Worm.
Tickets for Kansas City's Big Balloon Build are available for purchase online at bigballoonbuildkc.com/tickets. General admission tickets are between $10-15. Family passes and happy hour tickets, for adults 21 and up, are also available.
The Clockwork Noël Gala and Fashion Show is Friday, Dec. 2 at 6 p.m. The gala, for adults 21 and up, will include a drag queen fashion show. All models will be wearing balloon dresses made by Marie Dadow. Her one-of-a-kind dresses have been displayed in Victoria's Secret Fashion Show and Disney Channel's "Wizards of Waverly Place." Tickets for the gala start at $100.
All proceeds from the Kansas City Big Balloon Build will be donated to Operation Breakthrough, a nonprofit whose mission is to provide safe, educational environments for families in poverty.
The Gregg Klice Community Center is located at 1600 E. 17th Terrace in Kansas City.
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Big Balloon Build Kansas City includes Springfield's The Balloon Lady
