Balloon sculpture fills business void

Joe Fratt of Bonita Springs likes to work in the wee hours of the morning.

And that's good in his line of work, because his love of balloons requires him to work at night or his creations won't be ready in time for the main event — birthday parties, car dealership weekend blow outs or festivals.

"When everyone is sleeping I'm out doing balloons," Fratt said.

His unique talent is best enjoyed at daylight but it takes hours to create the elaborate balloon sculptures that can be see throughout Bonita Springs, Estero, San Carlos Park and as far north as Port Charlotte.

"I moved here from California where balloons are big business and they didn't have anybody doing this here," said Fratt, who worked his way up to having regular clients by walking into businesses and offering his services. "I just walked in and they were hooked."

As the owner and artist of Liberty Balloons Inc., Fratt fills dozens of balloons per event.

He even bought a house specifically because of its large garage that he turned into a workshop.

"It takes a lot of time and effort but it's worth it when people get excited to see them," Fratt said.

He creates sculptures that look like spiders, four-leaf clovers and even balloon arches.

"It's the cheapest form of advertising," said Fratt whose biggest clients are car dealerships and cities that hire him to decorate for parades and the Fourth of July.

"You use balloons and you just get the best for your buck. Balloons tell people that things are going on."

Fratt's wife, Marjorie, who is part owner of the business and helps Fratt with the business side of things, says their service is unique.

"Everybody smiles when they see balloons. We've received a cluster of letters from people thanking us for making their parties better," she said.

The sculptures are created solely by Fratt on-site. He is constantly looking for help, but finding talent is difficult.

"Some people don't want to work at night and on weekends. I have to do things at night so that I have time to tie everything down," said Fratt who got involved in balloon sculpting after getting a job for his son blowing up balloons at a California dealership. "You have to tie everything down because I have to contend with wind and the weather."

Despite Mother Nature, Fratt enjoys balloons because they bring life to any event.

"Balloons move, they have color and bring motion. I can pretty much make anything," Fratt said.

He creates his own frames and bases for his work and attaches the balloons to ensure nothing flies away that could hurt animals in the area.

"We tell everybody that they have to break them and throw them away or we take them down to make sure nothing goes into the air," Marjorie Fratt said.

Liberty Balloons, Inc. can also imprint the balloons to add that personal touch to parties and weddings.

The prices can range from $100 to more depending on the amount of materials needed.

"When I finish I just look at it and it's a nice accomplishment," said Fratt who works year round. "Balloons make people smile and that's what it's all about."