If You Can Dream It He Can Make It

by Brooke Ezzo | photos courtesy of Christopher Lyle

He didn’t look like a magician. He needed a magician’s suit. Call it what you will, but when his grandmother purchased his first performance suit back in the 90s, it was either going to break him or make him. Luckily for us, the mustard yellow get-up and her maternal instinct made The Guy in the Yellow Suit a household name.

He also goes by Christopher Lyle, and he has been entertaining people with his comedic magic shows and balloon creations since his teenage years. After receiving his first magic set at the age of 7 and putting on shows for neighborhood kids, Christopher was hooked.

Growing up, he suffered from ADD and an auditory processing defect; he didn’t comprehend information the same way others did. He had trouble in school, but the one subject he could really dial into was magic. He got his hands on as many magic books as possible, and for whatever reason, those books just clicked for him.

“I felt pretty charged up that I was able to do something as a young kid that most grown-ups couldn’t even do,” Christopher said. “It was empowering for me. I enjoyed being able to basically play around while blowing people away. That gave me a lot of confidence.”

As he got older, he tried making his way into the entertainment world by performing for customers at local restaurants. But booking magic gigs were harder than he thought. It seemed

as though each owner was really only interested in him if he also included balloon art.

“I wanted to work and get my magic out there, so I learned how to do a dog, a flower, and a sword. When I tried to book restaurants, and they asked if I did balloons, I was able to say, ‘Yes I do,’” Christopher said. “It just grew from there. I got tired of telling people these were the only three balloons I could do. Three decades later, I probably do more balloons than I do magic now.”

By the time Christopher rolled around to learning how to create balloon art, the niche was small but growing. He reached out to a few clowns in his area and read about basic twists and shapes from books. But had to expand on his own from there.

Booked to perform at a magic convention in Las Vegas in the early 2000s, Christopher would have a chance meeting that would help propel his career forward. Call it serendipitous because when Christopher met fellow performer, Buster Balloon, the pieces quickly fell into place.

“I didn’t know there was a balloon industry at that time,” Christopher said. “I basically hung out with the rock God of balloon artists for a week. It was a turning point for me because it really showed me what could be done with balloons.”

From simple twists to incredible masterpieces, Christopher has completed some remarkable balloon creations for his clients. This talent has come in handy these past few months, when not even Christopher could control the cards we were all dealt.

Like many other performers, the impact from the coronavirus changed the way Christopher ran his business. But, it’s not about the cards; it’s how you play the hand. And, The Guy in the Yellow Suit would be the only one pulling tricks out of his hat.

Due to the shut downs and stay-in-place order, Christopher was no longer able

“BALLOON ART HAS TAKEN ME PLACES MAGIC WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO TAKE ME.”

to perform in restaurants, at parties, or for business events. So he stuck strictly to balloon creations. Not sure if it would be able to support him and his family, he promoted balloon deliveries anyway.

Christopher is busier than he could have ever imagined, and the best part is that he is loving it. Bringing smiles to people all over North Texas and creating some of the biggest and wildest balloon creations has given him a new kind of confidence.

“Balloon art has taken me places magic would have never been able to take me,” Christopher said. “If you can dream it, I can make it.”

Christopher lives in Justin with his wife, Jennifer, and their two daughters.

For your own balloon creation, follow Christopher Lyle on Facebook or visit his website, www.ChristopherLyle.com.

Christopher is serious about the safety and health of his clients. All balloons are manufactured in Dallas, sanitized, and delivered contact-free.