balloonhatclass.com

Addi Somekh has been called "one of the most respected, prolific, insightful and well-traveled balloon artists of all time."*

His specific skill is in making balloon hats - classy, yet wacky headdresses - that are improvised to fit each person's head size, personality and aura. According to Addi, a good balloon hat can be compared to playing with Legos - once you learn the basic building blocks, it is just a matter of arranging them in an attractive and thoughtful way.

Addi's balloon hats have taken him around the world, as he traveled to 34 countries with photographer Charlie Eckert, making hats for people for free and photographing them, in a kind of rolling investigation into the universal nature of laughter. Their travels resulted in over 12,000 photos, an award winning web site (www.balloonhat.com), the book The Inflatable Crown (2001, Chronicle Books), and the feature length documentary film Balloon Hat (2005, directed by AG Vermouth).

For more information about Addi and his various projects (including balloon music), please visit www.newballoonart.com.

*quoted from the official program for the 19th Annual International Balloon Arts Convention