Jared Nesbit, a 16-year-old who has spent the last four years learning the art of making balloon creations, was recently featured in the “Food Network Magazine” and “Searcy Living.”
Nesbit, also known as “Mr. Pockets,” has posted more than 70 balloon-making how-to videos on his YouTube page. Many of the videos have accumulated thousands of “likes.” He also has a Facebook page called, “Mr. Pockets Balloon Twister,” to which he posts photos and videos of his creations.
Nesbit said the spark of interest for balloon art began when he was 12 years old. He said he watched someone make swords and hats at a Pizza Hut in Nashville, Tenn., and wanted to learn how.
“My mom bought me a do-it-yourself balloon- making book,” Nesbit said. “For the first 30 seconds or so, I was really frustrated, but it just caught on. I did more and more and got better. I then asked Chick-Fil-A if I could twist balloons for tips. They said yes and actually agreed to pay for my balloons, too.”
Nesbit said he was really excited when the “Food Network Magazine” contacted him about a feature. Nesbit said they found him from searching for kid balloon twisters on YouTube.
“I saw an email from a lady from the Food Network asking me to make a birthday cake out of balloons,” Nesbit said. “I ran and told my mom, and then I started on the cake. I was done in five minutes, and I’ve never twisted so fast. The cake took about 13 balloons, and it was about the width of a pizza box and about a foot tall.”
Nesbit is the son of James Nesbit, who is a professor in Harding’s college of pharmacy. James Nesbit said Jared got the name of “Mr. Pockets” after the children’s book “Katy No-Pocket.”
“‘Katy No-Pocket’ is a story about a kangaroo without a pocket who is given a vest with pockets on the front,” James Nesbit said. “My wife made Jared a vest with pockets on the front to hold his balloons. I thought of the children’s story, and the name stuck.”
James Nesbit said he is very proud of his son. He said Jared Nesbit loves creating, and he will make anything you ask for.
“He’ll just think for a second and do it,” James Nesbit said. “He made a life-sized balloon of President (Bruce) McLarty for Homecoming. It was made out of 135 balloons.”
Jared Nesbit said his favorite part of creating is making “huge, massive and giant” woven designs like the life-sized President McLarty. He said he loves seeing people’s reactions to his creations.
“Everyone loves balloons,” Nesbit said. “It’s so nice to see their faces when I hand kids a princess or Spider-Man. Their parents love it too, and I sometimes wonder if the parents even love it more.”
Jared Nesbit has made balloon creations at events like Bison Days, Homecoming, the Highlighter Run, Harding football and basketball games, Get Down Downtown and birthday parties.
Nesbit said he is homeschooled but currently taking classes at Harding. He is going to major in computer programming and is hoping to continue balloon-making as a hobby and side job throughout his life.
