After owning Kismet, a gift shop in Cold Spring, for 23 years, Caryn Cannova decided that she needed a change. Although she was happy with her shop, she felt an inexplicable pull toward balloon art. She enrolled in The Balloon Training Institute, graduated as a certified classic balloon artist, and continued taking classes and studying with some of the best ballooners in the world to further her skillset.
“You don’t even know that’s a thing until you’re in it!” she laughs. “I started studying with some of the most prominent ballooners in the world in Ukraine and Russia. I took so many classes and workshops and spent so much time practicing. People have no idea how much work it is, but it just became my magic.”
For the love of balloons
Cannova has always been creative. She started her career as a professional dancer and, after leaving that part of her career behind, feared that she would never find something that would fill the void that dancing left in her life. Balloon art did just that.
She opened Hudson Valley Balloon Girl in 2021 and, a year later, made the difficult decision to close Kismet in order to pursue her balloon business full time. She found studio space in Carmel and made the move. Since then, she has spent her days doing what she loves for a living.
“This all happened when I was 55 years old. When you find something that you love that much at my age, it’s important to pursue it,” she observes.
Designing balloon displays
Hudson Valley Balloon Girl does all kinds of events, from weddings and birthdays to corporate parties, graduations, and baby and bridal showers, among others. Cannova has created balloon and other decor displays for the Danbury Mall, and she also designs the balloon displays for the Brewster, Carmel, and Trinity-Pawling high school graduations.
Since first beginning her business, Cannova has shifted to focus more on larger installations and is hoping to expand to also include event design. Most recently, she designed the Easter setup at the Danbury Mall, which did not include any balloons at all. She’s also studying with Balloon Occasions in the United Kingdom to continue to improve her skills.
“I’m not qualified enough just yet to call myself an event planner, but I’m taking classes and working toward that. That’s where I’d like to grow into,” she shares.
As far as her design process goes, Caryn also likes to meet with her clients, particularly if it’s a larger installation. She likes to get a feel for the style of the event and the colors that are going to be incorporated, as well as learn a bit about the personalities of her clients.
“I’ve been through all of these events myself – bridal showers, baby showers, weddings, etc. – and it’s important not only for the parents, but also for the child,” she explains. “Sometimes it takes me four or five hours to complete. I will work on a design until I achieve that vision that I have in my head because I care and it matters to me.”
Fostering community
Giving back and fostering a sense of community is also incredibly important to Cannova and her business. Each year, she endeavors to host numerous events with local organizations and foundations to give back. She has previously donated to the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, the Carmel Police Department, United for the Troops, Autism Walk, Best Buddies Walk, and the Ty Louis Campbell Childhood Cancer Foundation in Carmel.
“I wish I could give to everybody,” she shares. “I always make a point to give back wherever I can. It’s important to support the community that supports me.”
Undoubtedly, the biggest reward for Cannova is the unbridled joy that her work brings to people.
“You give a kid a $100 bill and they don’t care, but if you hand them a balloon, their eyes just light up,” she says. “There’s a kind of magic to it all. Balloons bring joy and happiness, and I know that the people who want my services have magic in their heart.”
Hudson Valley Balloon Girl
51 Gleneida Ave, Carmel Hamlet
845.264.9934
@hudsonvalleyballoongirl
