by Mark Pacan
Like anyone involved in Ballooning,
Albuquerque is my Mecca and a place I'd always wanted to visit after seeing
photos of Fiesta in which it looked like it was snowing balloons. I made
my first trip in 1986, in the days when the mass ascents were the main highlights.
I had a great time and vowed to return but finances dictated otherwise,
until 1991.
On my return I was impressed, like thousands of other people, by the recently introduced night glow and the special shapes rodeo. This fired my imagination and I wanted to do a painting of both events, as well as the mass ascent. But it is no good doing work if no-one would see it and the most obvious place to sell it from would be from concession row.
However, it is one thing to be able to paint pictures and another dealing with contracts, printers, shippers and a whole host of logistical problems that I didn't feel competent enough to tackle on my own. I asked an ex-college friend, Tony Knight, if he would be interested in forming a partnership in which we would publish, market and sell my work. Our first success was securing the contract to produce the first ever Special shapes poster for AIBF in 1993. We were "in the clouds," the chosen name of our alliance.
The first poster was called "Albuquiry Shapes" which was inspired by the crowd of at my first Special Shapes Rodeo. I have given the animate balloons the characteristics of a special shapes crowd. They are waving pointing, videoing and photographing their inanimate counterparts.
The second poster coincided with the first ever shapes night glow, hence the title Rodeo Glowdeo. The idea was based around a child's dream, being awoken by the noise of the burners and going to the window to see what was happening. I also incorporated the Stars and stripes into the image, the stripes being the wallpaper and blue field with the stars representing the window.
The third poster pays tribute to the atmospheric phenomenon which has made the Fiesta such a success, the Box. And as it was the 25th Anniversary, I had the balloons flying the box, out of a gift box while the crowd forms a "25."
This years poster has a Sci-fi feel. I have used the poster for the original film "Close encounters of the Third Kind" as the background, that is the road disappearing into the mountains. I also have a theory that New Mexico is the holiday destination of Aliens and the poster features two with suitcases trying to find their way to Albuquerque. In the year of the 50th Anniversary of Roswell, the Albuquerque incident was another poster title considered. Other New Mexico features are the Zia rising above the Sandias with a startled Road Runner, the state bird.
Albuquirky Shapes
Rodeo Glowdeo
Albuquerque Box
Mark Pacan's posters can be purchased on the field during Fiesta or you may order them through Picture It Framed, 11200 Montgomery NE Ste 9, Albuquerque, NM 87111 or call 505-298-6697.
