The Lonely HArts Club

Posted on April 4, 2007 by Michael C.

Are you a Hapa (half Japanese) artist who feels out of place no matter which country you are in? Are you an art lover stuck between western and eastern cultures? Do you have an interest in connecting with people from all walks of life who are interested in art? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you may be a perfect candidate for the group called HArts.

Originally started on Mixi (the Japanese version of My Space) in April of 2006, HArts is a combination of Hapa and arts. Founder Jamie Belton is a full time painter and graphic designer who felt that his work was always seen as foreign, whether in Japan or in England. With a mother who is Japanese and a father who is English, Jamie has flittered back and forth between two cultures all his life. Art was his way of bringing the two cultures together. He wanted others to have that same opportunity of using art to connect between cultures and between people.

Currently, HArts has members who include; painters, illustrators, musicians, fashion designers, poets, architects, script writers, photographers, and more. With over a hundred registered artists, HArts has already started connecting artists. They have also helped coordinators find the artists needed for shows and exhibitions on several occasions, not to mention their own meetings and exhibits. They had two booths and eight artist show in the last Design Festa, Asia’s largest art exhibition. They are preparing four booths for the up and coming one in May.

If this sounds like a group you are interested in, please contact Jamie Belton at: harts@blue-p.org

Feel free to stop by their exhibition at Design Festa in May and chat with some of the members or Jamie himself. You don’t have to be half Japanese or an artist to join; art lovers of any background are welcome. This isn’t an exclusive club and there is no membership fee, you are just required to have an open mind and love art.