# Ralph Dewey
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{{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](/source/Sculpture), [Performance](/source/Performance), [Balloon modelling](/source/Balloon_modelling)
| works =
| patrons =
| awards =
}}
'''Ralph Dewey''' (born August 8, 1944), also known as '''Dewdrop the Clown''', is an American [balloon twister](/source/balloon_twisting) and clown who is known as the "grandfather of all twisters".[{{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}}][{{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}}] 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.[[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] first staged in 1994 and held in [Houston, Texas](/source/Houston%2C_Texas). In 2003, he started presenting the Ralph Dewey Balloon Excellence Award, which has now become one of the highest honors in balloon-twisting.[{{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}}][{{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}}] Dewey is a staff writer for ''The Cross and the Clown'' magazine.[{{cite web | url=http://www.clowning4christ.com/Writers.htm | title=Staff writers | publisher=Clowning 4 Christ | access-date=February 2, 2011}}]
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.[{{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}}][{{Cite web |title=FAQ |url=https://www.balloonconvention.com/faq |access-date=2023-08-31 |website=Twist & Shout 2020 |language=en}}]
==Personal life==
Dewey served in the [US Air Force](/source/United_States_Air_Force) before joining [Shell Chemicals](/source/Shell_Chemicals) as a non-degree engineer. He taught instrumentation at [San Jacinto College](/source/San_Jacinto_College) in [Houston, Texas](/source/Houston%2C_Texas), where he wrote several reference and training handbooks on instrumentation.