Just a few months since moving to Fukuoka with his family from Albania, Ardit is already spreading infectious smiles on the faces of locals. Juggling a busy schedule as a certified balloon artist, face painter, and full-time father, he’s a busy man! Ardit began ballooning and face painting as volunteer for Millennial Hope, a humanitarian organization which provides educational support for children in rural areas of Albania. At the same time he was completing a degree in economics, but the rewards of the volunteer work were so meaningful, he ditched a career in economics to become a professional artist. In Europe he has been commissioned to make ballon art of all manner, including some as large as ten meters high! Here in Japan he looks forward to sharing his unique style and flair. Catch him perform live at the upcoming Fukuoka Now Valentine party on Feb. 13 (see back cover), or visit his web page – for a very special birthday party to a corporate event or display – he’s your man
Hometown: Tirana, Albania
In Japan: 1/2 years
Identity: Certified Balloon Artist and Face Painter
Interviewed on Dec. 5, 2014.
There are not many people Albania in Fukuoka, true?
I heard there’s two or three who I’m trying to get in touch with.
How did you end up here?
I was working for a humanitarian organisation back in Albania, and we had a project reconstructing children’s hospitals and doing activities in orphanages and poor neighbourhoods/villages. We had some volunteers come from Japan to help us with the project… and one of the volunteers was my soon to be wife! (laughs) We met, stayed in Albania for five years, got married, had two boys and decided it was time to move back for the kids to see their other side. I’ve been in Fukuoka for almost three months.
So you’re in Fukuoka now, but what were you doing in Albania?
I was studying banking and economics, and the same time I was volunteering for this humanitarian organisation called Millennial Hope. Basically that’s how it started. My love for balloons and art, working with children. I was volunteering in children’s hospitals, doing clown therapy once or twice a week, doing balloons and little puppet shows… just trying to bring a smile to their faces. Basically I did that for one year until some people saw me doing all this volunteer activities and started asking me if I was willing to perform in private birthday parties and some events. That’s how I started.
Did you study under somebody? Or are you self-taught?
For the first two years everything was self-taught. Reading materials, watching YouTube videos, and when I started to get into a professional phase, this big balloon company called Qualatex and they offer seminars and trainings so now I’m a certified balloon artist!
Congratulations! What do you enjoy most about your job as a balloon artist?
It’s kind of interesting trying to create art out of something as simple as balloons. But what’s more important is seeing the impression of people’s faces. When they think that something this simple can be used to create different structures and characters.. and seeing the smiles on little children’s faces, I think that’s the part I enjoy most.
Tell us about some of the bigger jobs and interesting projects you did in Europe.
The biggest job was for Albania’s international science fair. Some of the high school’s in Albania got together and asked me to do the decorations. For each section like technology – I had to do a big balloon art, the biggest one was for the technology and robotics department, so I did Optimus prime from Transformers – it was 10m high! The science fair was organised in the gym of the school, so basically the robot was as high as the ceiling!
Now here in Japan, what services do you plan on providing?
I’m trying to explore the market because it’s a different culture, so the things that I used to do in Europe I cannot implement here. You need to change. We used to organise birthday parties every single day for an hour or more, in kindergartens, the parents would invite us to gather kids together and play some songs and do some ballooning, face painting and puppet shows.. so we had a program for an hour or a half that we used to do everyday to trying to educate the kids through entertainment. But I noticed that this kind of party here in Japan is… no (laughs)
Do you prefer the performance industry or making the art?
I like both. Like doing little balloons, it gets you in contact with people and interacting with them, What do you want… What colour do you like… Do you like this… and you see their reaction. Doing large-scale art takes a lot of time, and you’re alone somewhere for a long period non-stop because balloon art is not something that you can start, rest then continue again. You have to do a big project in one day because balloons have a short life span.
Have you seen anything in Japan that would be a good challenge for you?
Well my country was small so we didn’t have any conventions or comicons. Here in Japan they have a lot. So I think they are a good chance.
Is being a foreigner an advantage?
Most probably. Somehow I see that Japanese people are attracted to foreign culture.
Do you find that the language is barrier?
Yeah. I meet people on the street all the time, and they try to talk to me in Japanese and I don’t really understand what’s going on, and I really want to talk to them and explain to them.
Is it still a barrier when you’re performing?
Not really because most of my performances so far have been with little children and they don’t even speak their native language very well! And you kind of know what children like and want because of the trends, cartoons and TV shows and famous characters. Basically I know what they like and what they want, so even if they tell me in Japanese they “I want a flower!” and I do them super mario or some other character, I know that they’re going to be really happy so it’s not like a barrier in doing little performances but definitely in trying to contact people and explain what I do and how it can be implemented to help with their PR or getting people together.
Do you always carry a balloon on you?
Yes I always have one in my pocket.
Do you ever, just like on the subway, do something for someone?
Yeah (laughs) Its fun. First they’re like what is the guy doing!? then you make them a heart, or a flower or a swan and you see like a smile…
How was the transition from studying economics to doing balloons?
It was ah… Well I dropped out of my last year of college because I realised it wasn’t like me to stay in an office. I wanted to go out and meet people, move from one city to another. I did it because I really good at studying, so my parents wanted me to have the top education. I was trying to make them happy. But I realised it wasn’t what I really wanted. It was keeping me back because I wanted to move.
There was a civil war in Albania – it’s a new democracy. And the government didn’t have all the means, facilities and tools to provide all the services especially in remote areas in villages and up in the mountain. So basically there were no schools, no kindergartens and no activities for children. Hospitals were in really bad conditions, so for two or three years I moved through all those places, did little classes for kids, trying to teach them the basics, performing for them and keeping the mood, trying to meet the local businesses and raise funds to reconstruct some of the orphanages and hospitals rooms to provide some of the basic necessities like a heater or little TV, beds and blankets…
Are you continuing your help and support from Japan?
Im trying. My organisation has a branch here where volunteers came from but it kind of died, so Im trying to build up the team again and meet people. But its kinda difficult moving to a new country, trying to adapt, and learning the language and now I have three kids. They need a lot of time (laughs) They need lots of time and patience… In life its all about finding a balance. And I’m trying to find a balance between doing what I really want to do, and what I need to do for my children and family. Because sometimes you get into the selfish “oh I want to go out!” yeah.
Finally, is it ok for our readers to contact you?
Yes. I can do all kind of activities. Small birthday parties, company picnics – usually in Albania, they get all the employers and their children and meet each other so they got us to take care of the children and keep them entertained while the parents drink. I also do face painting. I can be contacted through my website.
