WORKING -- Ian Farrell

Story by Noaki Schwartz; photo by Don Leach

HE IS

A ministering balloon guy.

FLYING HIGH

Farrell, 26, has high goals and has come up with an even loftier plan to

achieve them. Looking for a way to put himself through graduate school,

he began twisting balloons about five years ago.

“It gives me the chance to get out and have a lot of fun,” Farrell said.

“It’s fun just to entertain.”

For the past two years, he’s been amusing children and adults at Joe’s

Crab Shack with balloons in the shapes of monkeys in palm trees, chain

saws, dinosaurs, surfers and more. But, he says, he mostly makes “big

obnoxious hats.”

Surprisingly, manipulating those colorful, air-filled pieces of rubber

has paid off.

EDUCATED BALLOONING

While it might seem unusual that the balloon-twisting Farrell has a

graduate degree, he said it is typical of all the balloon twisters at the

Crab Shack. The co-owner of Farrell’s company, “Balloon Monkey, etc.” has

a master’s degree in education.

“People ask if we had to go to school to learn how to twist [the

balloons],” Farrell laughed.

He actually received his degree in theology at the Fuller Theological

Seminary in Pasadena. After researching universities in Britain, he has

settled on applying to either Oxford or Cambridge to earn his doctorate.

“I’ve been called to the ministry,” he said. “I’ve been very active in it

since I was 17.”

Farrell would like to study Byzantine studies and theology. He hopes by

exploring religious works of art and the traditional symbolism within

those paintings, he can bring a more visual element into contemporary

services.

TWISTING AS YOU TRAVEL

Farrell’s interest in teaching abroad is undoubtedly a result of having

traveled to 30 countries. In addition to funding his education, the

lucrative ballooning industry has also helped to feed his wanderlust.

Each time Farrell packs up to get on a plane or train, he throws in a

couple packets of balloons for the road.

“People go crazy when I start making balloon hats,” he said. “They don’t

see it any place outside the states.”

BALLOONING THE BULLS

On a trip to Pamplona, Spain, Farrell learned that balloon hats aren’t

just for fun -- they are a useful device for locating friends in a crowd.

During the annual running of the bulls, he and about 15 new friends wore

balloon hats while swiftly trying to avoid being trampled by the rambling

beasts.

Interestingly, the hats led to the discovery of another group of balloon

twisters vacationing in Spain. Recognizing the American handiwork,

Farrell realized they were friends from home.