Thinking About Origami Today

Today is the anniversary of both the birth and the death of Akira Yoshizawa.  

Yoshizawa is credited with raising origami from a craft to an art form.  He created more than 50,000 models and wrote 18 books.  He also pioneered many techniques like wet folding. Last summer I learned more about Yoshizawa when I did some wet folding at the Origami USA annual conference held in NYC.  

This is the wet-folded luna moth I made in one of my classes. 

We followed a pattern by Michael LaFosse and we got to use LaFosse's handmade Origamido paper - what a treat!

During the conference I also made a cactus and a mouse.

The "Cactus in a Pot" by David Petty was a very clever design folded out of one sheet of silver paper. We laminated green tissue paper to the "cactus" area before folding.

The mouse is by Masashi Tanaka.  If you want to make a mouse of your own, the directions are here.

I thought my origami skills were looking great until I went to the exhibition space where some real masters had works on display.  

I was wowed by these amazing insects and spiders by the great Robert J. Lang.

I was impressed with this beautiful grasshopper by Brian Chan (see Brian folding the grasshopper here).

 

And I fell in love with the work of Beth Johnson.  Beth's models have a sculptural element that is so appealing. It was like nothing else at the exhibition.  You can see more of Beth's work here.

 

Thank you Akira Yoshizawa for your amazing contribution to this wonderful art form we call origami.

Comments

[Mudnyc]

Kara these are all amazing and your Luna moth is beautiful!

[Kara]

Thanks Michelle! I may make more LaFosse butterflies and attach them with pins in a box - an origami butterfly collection.

[Marjorie wihelm]

I like these.

[Kara]

Thanks Mom.