{{Short description|American balloon twister (born 1944)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2012}} {{Infobox artist | name = Ralph Dewey | image =Ralph Dewey.JPG | caption = Ralph Dewey | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1944|8|8}} | birth_place = | field = Sculpture, Performance, Balloon modelling | works = | patrons = | awards = }}
'''Ralph Dewey''' (born August 8, 1944), also known as '''Dewdrop the Clown''', is an American balloon twister and clown who is known as the "grandfather of all twisters".<ref>{{cite web |title=Learning to Twist |url=http://facepaintnh.com/balloon-twisting/learning-to-twist |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130906233757/http://facepaintnh.com/balloon-twisting/learning-to-twist |archive-date=September 6, 2013 |access-date=February 3, 2012 |publisher=Cedar's Face Art and Balloons}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Who you will meet |url=http://www.tmyers.com/TJam2010.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723205916/https://www.tmyers.com/TJam2010.html |archive-date=July 23, 2011 |access-date=February 3, 2012 |work=Tjam 2010 |publisher=T. Myers Magic}}</ref> He started twisting balloons in 1975, and in 1976 published a book, ''Dewey's New Balloon Animals''. Since then, he has published 30 books (16 on the subject of balloon twisting), numerous videos and DVDs, and dozens of magazine articles.<ref name="BHQ" />
==Balloon art and clowning== Dewey helped found several organizations: Joey to the World, a gospel clown convention; DewJam Balloon Convention; and Kingdom Twisters. Joey to the World is one of the largest and oldest Gospel Clowning Conventions in the world,<ref>[http://www.joeytotheworld.org/ "Joey To The World Gospel Clown Convention"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111122085217/http://www.joeytotheworld.org/ |date=November 22, 2011 }} JTTW Convention website</ref> first staged in 1994 and held in Houston, Texas. In 2003, he started presenting the Ralph Dewey Balloon Excellence Award, which has now become one of the highest honors in balloon-twisting.<ref name="BHQ">{{Cite web|url=http://www.balloonhq.com/whoswho/complete.php?id=12|title=whoswho:Ralph Dewey|publisher=Balloon HQ|access-date=January 31, 2011|archive-date=January 18, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110118024520/http://www.balloonhq.com/whoswho/complete.php?id=12|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Magahern|first=Jimmy|url=http://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/2006-01-12/news/pop-culture/3/ | title=Super-talented "twisters" are blowing up all over the Valley | newspaper=Phoenix New Times | date=January 12, 2006 | access-date=February 2, 2011}}</ref> Dewey is a staff writer for ''The Cross and the Clown'' magazine.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.clowning4christ.com/Writers.htm | title=Staff writers | publisher=Clowning 4 Christ | access-date=February 2, 2011}}</ref>
David Grist, a pioneer in the balloon-twisting craft, died in 2005 after suffering a heart attack shortly before the annual Twist & Shout Convention. In honor of Grist's contributions to the field, the organizers of Twist & Shout, the biggest balloon twisting convention, instituted the "David Grist Memorial Award", the first award going to Ralph Dewey due to his contributions to the field of balloon twisting.<ref name="Chron">{{Cite web |last=Meeks |first=Flori |date=March 22, 2011 |title=Deer Park artist, author puts unique twist on his popular balloon creations |url=http://www.chron.com/default/article/Deer-Park-artist-author-puts-unique-twist-on-his-1684418.php |access-date=January 21, 2012 |work=Houston Chronicle}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=FAQ |url=https://www.balloonconvention.com/faq |access-date=2023-08-31 |website=Twist & Shout 2020 |language=en}}</ref>
==Personal life== Dewey served in the US Air Force before joining Shell Chemicals as a non-degree engineer. He taught instrumentation at San Jacinto College in Houston, Texas, where he wrote several reference and training handbooks on instrumentation.<ref name="Chron" />
==Awards== *Fellowship of Christian Magicians: 5-time recipient of the "Best Balloon Lecture"<ref name = "Chron" /> *2004 Millennium Jam he was awarded the "Lifetime of Caring" award"<ref name = "Chron" /> *2005 Diamond Jam - received a plaque celebrating "30 Years of Service to the Balloon Twisting industry"<ref name = "Chron" /> *2005 David Grist Memorial Award<ref name = "Chron" />
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website|http://deweyballoons.com}} * [http://www.gospelballoons.com/ Gospel Balloons]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Dewey, Ralph}} Category:1944 births Category:Living people Category:American clowns Category:United States Air Force airmen Category:Balloon artists