A balloon artist from Kirkham has helped create what is believed to be one of the World's largest foil balloon World Cup trophies after being challenged to design the structure from scratch for an international training event.
Paula Ardron-Gemmell, co-owner of Pink Tree Parties in Kirkham and co-founder of The Balloon Academy, was approached by Naomi Spencer, founder of Balloon Summer Splash, with an unusual request.
Paula said: ‘’"Naomi rang me and asked if I could create a giant World Cup Trophy from foil balloons.
‘’I've worked with balloons for almost 20 years, but I'd never seen a three-metre trophy made entirely from foil balloons before, so there was nothing to copy or follow. It literally started as a blank sheet of paper and a lot of problem-solving."
The finished design became one of the centrepieces of a spectacular World Cup-themed installation created at Aston Villa Football Club, where 70 professional balloon artists from around the world gathered for the three-day Balloon Summer Splash convention.
Thousands of balloons, sponsored by Sempertex Europe and Grabo Balloons, were used to create the 5.5-metre by 5.5-metre football-themed display. Paula was responsible for designing and teaching the giant trophy, while other internationally renowned instructors contributed additional elements.
Tingyu Wong from Hong Kong taught the giant footballer, Denise Van Dooren from the Netherlands created the globe, and Audrey Parsons designed the colourful balloon garlands which completed the display.
Paula added: "Designing something on this scale was both exciting and nerve-wracking because nobody had created it before.
‘’When you're working from a blank sheet of paper, there's a lot of trial and error involved in working out how to turn standard balloons into a completely new shape to fit the spaces, how the structure will stand, how it will look from a distance and how to teach dozens of other artists to recreate it.
"It was an incredible honour to be invited to teach alongside some of the industry's leading instructors from around the world and to represent both Lancashire and the UK at such a prestigious event."
Paula regularly teaches professional balloon decorators throughout the UK and Europe and is a UK representative for international balloon manufacturers Grabo Balloons and Sempertex Europe and NABAS - The UK Trade Association for Balloon Artists and Suppliers.
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