Anthony Lena, a self-taught balloon artist, has been perfecting his skills since age 10. The college freshman performs at special events.
Anthony the Balloon Kid
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nthony Lena says that even when he is 80 years old, he will still be known professionally as Anthony the Balloon Kid. “I have been entertaining children with balloon art at birthday parties since I was 13, then I added some magic to my act a couple years later,� Lena says. “Now I’m a freshman in college and learning the business end of how to make my ballooning career a bigger success throughout my entire life.� The Mt. Juliet resident is a May 2009 graduate of Wilson Central High School, and he’s enrolled at Aquinas College in Nashville. “I have earned $93,000 in college scholarships, so my four years at Aquinas will all be paid for,� Lena says. “I am majoring in business administration because I’m already in show business, so I have the ‘show’ part figured out. I just need to learn more about the business aspect.� Lena actually started his ballooning career at age 10 when he received a simple balloon kit and hand pump for Christmas, but he showed no real interest at the time. “My neighbor saw my kit and asked her mother to get her one, and she ended up making balloon animals – and that got me interested in the art,� he says. “I practiced a lot and did my first show for children at Centennial Hospital in 2003, then worked even harder and ultimately began marketing myself as Anthony the Balloon Kid starting in October 2004.� Lena says his business has really been thriving for the past 3-1/2 years, and he was voted Best Birthday Party Entertainer by the readers of Nashville Parent Magazine. He has also won several ballooning contests in recent years, including a national competition where he made a life-size tricycle with a life-size boy sitting on it. It took Lena 11 hours to create that piece. M T. J U L I E T
What’s Online e See balloon artist Anthony Lena in action in our quick video. Visit imagesmtjuliet.com.
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