The Qualatex Event Greece - Instructors

Linda Bruce CBA

Linda Bruce is a dynamic speaker with first-hand knowledge of operating a balloon business! Her designs and articles have appeared in Balloon Images magazine, and she recently received the industry’s prestigious Crystal Award. An international speaker, well known for her sellable ideas as well as her entertaining, motivating presentation style, Linda is currently Retail Education Manager for Pioneer Balloon Company and is very happy to represent “the very BEST balloons!”

"There's something magical about balloons. whether it's the simplicity of a brightly coloured balloon, bobbing along, lighter than air, imitating one of nature's bubbles...or the realization that we can actually grasp something so "bubbly" without it vanishing at our touch...or that a balloon seems to have a life of it's own, always threatening to break free and travel to some far off place. Whatever it is, the most important and magical thing about balloons is that they create smiles! This is why I know that teaching balloons will never get old for me."

Alberto Falcone CBA

Alberto is passionate about balloons and his designs just ooze with flair and innovation. He is constantly exploring new techniques and designs to sell to his clients. He is a world class designer having achieved: in both 1999 and 2000 1st Prize for his Large Sculptures at BACI, 1st Prize for his large Sculpture at IBAC in 2002 as well as achieving overall Designer of the Year. Alberto has travelled around the world teaching and demonstrates a true Italian eye for design wherever he goes.

Kyriakos Galatos

Kyriakos started decorating with balloons rather early. Initially at his family’s flower business. Before he even graduated from high school, he had been enthused by the wonderful world of balloons. In 1998 he started his first balloon shop. Today he has balloon shops in two different Greek cities, in Volos and in Larisa. During the last four years he has been training balloon decorators throughout Greece, Cyprus and Albania. His specialty is decorations under “Greek Cultural Standards” for christenings, children’s parties and weddings.

Costas Gasparis

Costas, known as "Gasper", studied Graphic Arts, Decoration and Photography. His working experience include graphic designing until the time he met Stefanos ,his mentor, who introduced him the magic world of balloon decoration. In 2004 he was manager of Panoramic Balloon designs shop in Athens where he realized how exciting is the balloon art and how important is to make your customer happy leaving your shop with a big smile of satisfaction in his face!

In March 2007 he obtained his CBA diploma at the Qualatex Event in Athens and since then he is teaching balloon art in Cyprus where he lives and works the last 2 years for S.S Panoramic Balloon Designs in Limassol. The fact that he is the first CBA in Cyprus gave him the opportunity to teach in the first Qualatex Event in the island which was organized by S.S Panoramic Balloons and had a great success with over 40 delegates attended.

His motto in his job is: "Use balloons as colors in the palette of a painter. Your canvas is the room that you will decorate. Your inspiration is your customer! Express yourself and enjoy it! Be sure that everyone will love your creations as they are coming from your soul and your income will certainly increase!"

Rita Kyriacou CBA

Vanessa Lever CBA

Vanessa began with balloons as a summer job about 12 years ago, helping her family's company Balloon Express, both in the offices and on site, later becoming a "Dottoressa in Balloonology". She has been involved in training since her IBAC win of 2003 and is often busy training new Italian decorators for BACI, the Balloon Arts College Italia.

Recent engagements with Pioneer have taken her to South America, Japan, California, Korea and Europe. Vanessa is well known for her attention to detail and her creative designs. She speaks Italian, Spanish, English and some French. Her full service balloon and party shop in Florence with partner Heleana Casini CBA is one of Italy's best!

Sue Marston-Weston CBA

Sue has been involved in the balloon industry since 1991, starting with a home based balloon company and latterly moving into further education, and has taught as an instructor for Pioneer in many countries worldwide.

After following the QBN programme and becoming a CBA, Sue progressed in the balloon trade by attending as many industry events as possible. She will tell you that if you want to learn skills from some of the industries best, then there is no better way than by attending an event or convention where you will live, eat, sleep and breathe balloons for a few days.

Sue has won many awards and was voted best UK training provider of the year several times. She now works with Conwin as their Sales Manager.

“I love my job, working with balloons and I get a great deal of satisfaction creating something new and sharing it with others” says Sue. “I can honestly say that in 17 years I have never had a bad day or wished that I did something else for my living”.

Colin Myles CBA

Colin and wife Ray run a full service balloon & party shop in Dundee, which opened in 1993. Colin has always been keen to show his creative talents and enter competitions and has had a huge success.

He has a very positive approach to training. “I now realise that without the QBN programme I would not have had the tools necessary to create good designs,” he says. “The principles and elements of design, which plays a large part of the QBN course, are I believe absolutely fundamental in creating good solid pieces of work, and I still go back and read them frequently”.

Colin is a very popular instructor and believes in teaching all aspects of balloon art, with emphasis on the basics of the principles and elements of design. He always establishes an excellent rapport with the delegates.