Halloween, Thanksgiving, First Friday, and other cool stuff

It's Halloween time again and it's been loads of fun doing the seasonal installation pieces that go with the holiday. Family and Friends Weekend at SUNY Oswego was an especially fun time. A half dozen students assisted Kelly and I in the construction of a full scene that formed the backdrop for families being photographed.

FLOAT Convention

I'm on the road in a few days to teach at the FLOAT Convention in Mason, OH.  It will be exciting seeing so many balloon artists from around the country in one place, all looking to advance the art. Classes will cover a wide range of balloon decorating techniques. I'll be teaching the stuff I have the most fun with - installation pieces and caricature with balloons.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving will be fun for me this year, but not because of a big dinner. It's because I'm getting to do something I haven't done in over 30 years.  I'm going to be spending Thanksgiving Day in New York City, participating in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. When I was in the parade a few decades ago, I was a kid dressed in costume, riding on a couple of large floats. One year I dressed as a farmer and rode on the turkey float. Another year, I was a munchkin on the Wizard of Oz float.  I've never forgotten either experience.  I remember waking up at an hour that I had previously only known for sleeping in order to get there on time. I remember riding a bus to the start of the parade with the Sesame Street cast and other "important" people. Then I had the really critical job of waving to the crowd for the entire parade route. Now, 30 years later, I get to be a balloon handler.  I'll walk the parade route with one of the jumbo helium balloons the parade is known for. It's not quite the ballooning I usually do, and my expertise with balloons will hardly mean a thing when it comes to one of those monstrosities, but this will be exciting for me all the same.

Who knows.  Maybe once I meet some of the people involved in the parade, I'll talk someone into letting me create a giant balloon sculpture of my own that can be carried along the parade route.

Upcoming events at the studio (1115 E Main St, Suite 234, Rochester, NY)

First Friday

Don't forget, First Friday is around the corner. As always, the first Friday of the month, November 5, is when artists at the Hungerford have open studio hours, ready to show you everything they've been working on. There's quite a bit of art for sale, directly from the artists that created it. But whether you intend to buy or just browse, you're bound to have fun. If you're in the Rochester area, check out all of the artists in the Hungerford Building on November 5, 6-9PM.

Professor Loopy

Monday, Nov 8 at 6:00 PM, Richard Hughson, as Professor Loopy, will be giving a free talk in the studio.  The noted Safarian scholar, holder of a doctorate in Ablutional Philosophy, has agreed to grace us with the results of his years of work on the Consequential Corollaries.

This 20 minute presentation, with demonstrations and Q&A, is the culmination of a lifelong research project and is sure to be of great interest to all.

Topics of interest include:

• Rotational Repleneration

• Sense to Perception Ratio

• The Pendularity of Time

• Gravitational Fluidity

The Professor will be available for discussion immediately following the presentation. Feel free to hang out with us for fun and networking after.

Disclaimer: Larry Moss and The Airigami Studio refuse to accept any responsibility for what comes out of this lecture, or out of the Professor for that matter. In fact, should you drop by, please maintain a safe minimum distance at all times. Thank you.