A Twist on Balloons

When it comes to creating balloon sculptures, El Dorado resident Dwain Williams isn’t one to clown around.

For nearly half a century, the 72 year old has been creating balloon art for kids from one to 92, eking out a modest living by frequenting popular tourist destinations in Europe, Mexico and across the U.S. to make ends meet and people smile. He has entertained at schools, festivals, parties, retirement homes and non-profit events, eliciting child-like delight with every design.

And while the self-taught balloon bender was initially introduced to his craft by a circus clown at age 24, he prefers letting his blow-up creations generate the happiness to putting on a self-absorbed show behind a painted face and clown nose.

“I tried being a clown, but I really just liked the balloon aspect of it,” Williams said. “I like being silly with kids and making them laugh. I’m always happy to do it when I can.”

Though he doesn’t globe-hop anymore, he still garners a fair number of invitations to entertain at birthday parties and other special events around town, relying on business cards, word-of-mouth exchanges, and the kudos of niece Amy Highmoor — with whom he shares a home — to get the word out.

“I’ll take care of him until the day he dies,” Highmoor said. “He’s one of the most amazing humans I’ve ever experienced in my life.”

Armed with balloons at all times, he leaps at the chance to pull together a three-balloon sea turtle or other balloon sculpture for children and seniors alike, whether it be on his part-time job as food delivery driver or during a random encounter at a store, park, restaurant or anywhere people may be.

“It’s kind of whatever happens,” he said. “My whole life I did the tourist places and people would come up to me. I never had to pursue a job. Now I hand out (business) cards.”

His creations vary in scope from one to one thousand or more balloons and cover a diverse range of subject matter that includes a 12-foot tall SpongeBob SquarePants figure, Beauty and the Beast attire, gingerbread house, cartoon and superhero characters and other masterpieces. 

Creating his designs on the fly, he aims to honor all requests, viewing each as his latest conquest. “I like the mathematical figuring out of the proportions and angles,” he said. “I see it from a very mathematical geometric point of view.”

Though he deals with autism, Williams dismisses his Asperger’s syndrome condition as mild at best. Nevertheless, Highmoor said she admires his ability to rise above his autistic challenges and couldn’t be prouder of him or how his balloon creations continue to spread joy to those who receive them.

“He’s just like a kid,” she said. “He’s so good at what he does. There isn’t a day when a balloon (figure) isn’t made for somebody. That’s something he looks forward to every day.

“Once he was in McDonalds and asked a 4-year-old if she would like a balloon. Turns out she was with Make A Wish waiting on their representatives. Her family didn’t realize he wasn’t with them! Another time he brought his dog to the vet and made a balloon for the receptionist’s child.”

Working primarily for tips hasn’t made him a rich man in his chosen vocation. Even so, he continues to derive pleasure from what he believes is his true calling in life. His no-child-left behind mantra reveals the true motivation behind his craft.

“He normally doesn’t charge for what he does,” Highmoor said. “If he does an event for a company or birthday party, he’ll take a stipend, but he mostly does it all by donations. Every child gets a balloon, whether their parents give a donation or not. That’s just who he is. It’s what makes him special.”

His willingness to teach others that which he learned on his own has served to further the cause of balloon artistry among those who have encountered his many sessions, Highmoor said.

“He does two things at parties: teach classes and make balloons,” she said. “My daughter Serenity (now 16 years old) learned to make a 10-balloon octopus at age 3, then at age 4 taught classes of 50 children how to make them.”

His friendship with local fire blower and juggler Lynx Robinson, 28, has evolved into an unlikely partnership of sorts, bringing them together on projects around town. “I call her my granddaughter,” Williams said. “She wanted to learn balloons and now does events with me. I’m excited to have her joining me. She takes some of the pressure off on the bigger gigs.”

Despite dealing with bouts of arthritis and other age-related ailments, he intends to continue working his craft for as long as he is able. The reward of smiling faces makes each endeavor worthwhile, he said.

“I’m always happy to do it,” he said. “I used to blow up 1,000 balloons in a day. Now I do maybe 100. I just do whatever comes along. 

“Just seeing the kids happy is satisfying. I also do a lot of volunteering at nursing homes. I’m happy to do whatever I can.”