Brian Getz has always been the type of person who likes to make things. As a child he was into toys such as Legos, model rockets and K'NEX. Now he has moved on to balloons.
"I was always drawn to things where I can construct something out of nothing," Getz said.
Getz began making basic balloon sculptures as a freshman Christian education major at Taylor University. His sister saw that he liked "circus skills," such as juggling and riding a unicycle, so she gave him a kit to try: balloon-making.
He began by looking online and teaching himself using diagrams. Now he comes up with his own.
"It just got to the point where I knew 15 things and then 50 things and then 200 things," Getz said. "After about 1,000 I just started telling people I made everything."
His smaller designs range from simple dogs to the elaborate "hog on a hog," a Harley Davidson pig on a motorcycle.
"In general, I like doing the ones that are going to make people enjoy them the most," Getz said. "They generally take a bit more effort, but I enjoy expending that effort and knowing that that [person] is going to be happy."
As owner of the one-person company Brian's Balloons, Getz works at numerous places and events, such as birthday parties and restaurants like Ivanhoe's Drive-in in Upland. But most important to him is his work in the church ministry.
"From the very beginning I was using the balloons as a ministry tool, just helping out with church carnivals or special events," Getz said. "Eventually that grew into teaching lessons."
His most recent lesson took place at University Christian Church on Halloween where he made costumes out of the balloons and discussed the importance of being yourself. He taught that God loves us regardless of who we are so we should not try to be something we are not.
This was a new lesson he made especially for Halloween. His most common is about a child named Wilson who, after being asked what he learned at camp said, "Balloons are a lot like God. God can't form you until he's filled you."
"Every time I give that lesson I have to examine myself and say ‘Is Christ the biggest part of my life?' and if he isn't, then how do I expect God to form me into what he wants me to be?" Getz said.
Getz frequently volunteers with groups such as Marion Inner City Outreach and programs such as Vacation Bible School. At one VBS he made a 15-by-10-by-5-foot abominable snowman out of balloons. It took 2,600 balloons and about 100 hours to make.
Also, as a way to stay connected to his faith, Getz serves as a missionary in other countries using the balloons as a way to connect with children in orphanages who may have never gotten a chance to learn about God otherwise. When he cannot travel, he trains other missionaries and sends them with balloons and pumps.
"Balloons have an amazing ability to break through language barriers, to break through cultural barriers and to communicate love," Getz said. "I can't speak two words in Slovak, but I can go into an orphanage and make balloons for kids and show them that I care about them and that God cares about them. That's important, and balloons can do that in a way that very few things can."
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