Jill Allen can make a sword.

She can make a monkey.

And she can make a dog, among other things.

Of course, these aren’t real things and creatures she’s making, but rather balloon renditions.

Allen has been making balloon animals for about two years. She got interested in making them when she saw a performer at the SBC Restaurant downtown making them for diners, and she thought she’d like to give it a try.

She’s entirely self-taught, learning by watching YouTube videos and practising different types of pinches and twists until she gets the techniques down. She’s bought a cache of balloons and a pump for blowing them up. “I’ve got my normal set of balloons, white balloons, clear balloons, and then metallic ones. I have a balloon belt and my dual-action balloon pump. It’s more professional, so any way you push it, air comes out.”

Allen enjoys making different types of balloon animals, but she says her favorite is probably the parrot. “I like the parrot because it can sit on somebody’s shoulder.”

She makes balloon animals often and even gives them to some of her teachers. Allen used to bring balloon animals for kids at a camp she worked at for Lauralton Hall, and she hopes to take her talent even further by making balloon animals for parties and eventually performing for children, turning her hobby into something she can share with larger audiences.

She’s trying to connect with the local library about possibly doing a program there, and she plans to stop in at local restaurants to see if she can get some paying gigs. She doesn’t have a website yet, but is hoping to have one soon so she can better get the word out.

One of the biggest challenges Allen had when she first started doing balloon animals was holding multiple balloons in one hand while twisting them with the other. It took time to get the hang of it, but practice paid off because she gained strength in her hands, which has also made her better at juggling.

Making balloon animals, obviously, isn’t her only hobby.

“I can play several instruments, like the drums, piano, guitar, the bass, the harmonica, this little steel drum thing, and the ukulele. I’ve performed the harmonica live at camp for a bunch of parents and stuff. I can juggle, I can do magic tricks, I ride a skateboard, surf …” 

Why does she try all these things? “I guess because I can.”