Source & Commentary |
A blogsite not for me to bloviate; but for me to share my origami videos with the origami community. I am affiliated with the Westcoast Origami Guild, Pacific Ocean Paperfolders, Origami Paperfolders of San Diego, Origami USA, and the Origami Interest Group (Origami-L/O-List).
Sunday, December 31, 2017
Tuesday, December 26, 2017
Yami Passed Away Christmas Evening
July 29, 1936- December 25, 2017
3-27-2013 Descanso Garden Original photo taken by Yami's friend Kazuyoshi ITO |
April 6, 2008 Cherry Blossom Festival, Little Tokyo |
From Chikako:
Dear Yami's friends,
This is Yami's daughter Chikako writing from Yami's account.
Yoichi "Yami" Yamauchi passed away yesterday. His health had been declining for some time. His body expired and he passed away peacefully yesterday evening. Per Yami's wishes, his body is being cremated and his ashes will be scattered at some point in the future. There will not be a public funeral or service. Condolences can be posted on Facebook. Even though Yami was a public figure, please respect his family's privacy.
Kind regards,
Chikako Yamauchi
may 26, 2007 Natural History Museum, Los Angeles, CA |
Sunday, December 24, 2017
Sunday, December 17, 2017
Wednesday, December 13, 2017
Sunday, December 10, 2017
Monday, December 04, 2017
Sunday, December 03, 2017
Friday, December 01, 2017
Thursday, November 30, 2017
Artificial Muscle
LATimes
Hat tip: Joseph Wu Inc.Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University have developed a variety of origami-inspired artificial muscles that can lift up to a thousand times their own weight — and yet be dexterous enough to grip and raise a delicate flower.The devices, described in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, offer a new way to give soft robots super-strength, which could be used everywhere from inside our bodies to outer space.
Sunday, November 26, 2017
Monday, November 20, 2017
Gatchaman
Gatchaman Designed by 芦村俊一 Shunichi ASHIMURA Folded by Michael Sanders 6.9" x 6.9" Japanese kami |
It's popular to bag on BotP as an inferior product to the original Gatch, but...Been browsing through episodes last night and today on YouTube and I must say, even the watered-down, sanitized version is a superior product to so much of what we were used to seeing in the States, as a kid back in the 70s and 80s.
I grew up on mostly BotP; but my mom being Japanese and us spending summer vacations in Japan throughout the 70s and 80s, I was also familiar with the original version of Gatchaman and Fighter. BotP still captured quite a bit of the flavor and has its own charm. (I abhor the other English translation/incarnations of the original- makes me shudder). I love the voice actors. Jason remains my favorite, as I had a bit of the sulking loner in me, if not the hotheadedness of Jason; feeling a bit like the number two man, growing up. I loved his whole look and personality and the storylines that focused on him. Since I wasn't fully fluent in Japanese, and only saw just a handful of episodes during my summer months in Japan, BotP filtered the stories and characters to me much more than Gatchaman did. I definitely knew even as a kid that the version I was watching back in the States was Americanized with animation that was totally different, as well as character additions (7-Zark-7); that the Japanese original was more violent.
I love the original music; but I think the BotP music by Hoyt Curtin is also very good.
When I was in Japan one summer, I wanted the soundtrack really badly and had my mom help me shop for the LP. What we brought home disappointed me at the time because it sounded nothing like what I was expecting; but over time, I really loved it (this was the Symphonic Suite).
I love both Gatchman and BotP. Total childhood nostalgia for me. My friends were always a bit jealous of me because I would come back from Japan with all sorts of cool toys and products while all we could get here were Shogun Warriors, micronauts, BotP lunch pails, BotP boardgame, and not much else.
Condor Joe is my favorite (Jason). I like Mark. But it's Joe/Jason, the number two guy, who resonated with me.
Sunday, November 19, 2017
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
Tuesday, November 14, 2017
Mary Anne's Butterfly
Folded from 6" duo-colored kami |
I only took two classes at PCOC: Robert Lang's Mary Anne's Butterfly and Beth Johnson's cardinal.
Sunday, November 12, 2017
Saturday, November 11, 2017
Tuesday, November 07, 2017
Saturday Night Banquet
Inspired by local creator Jared Needle's appearance on Superhuman, origami game night at Saturday's banquet consisted of each table participating in a crease pattern challenge.
Examples of some of the models:
Monday, November 06, 2017
Visiting Yami During PCOC
I know a number of people would have liked to have visited Yami; but schedules were so tight as to make it difficult to coordinate beyond a small group.
A handful of us were piled into the mikemobile V to be ferried to Torrance for an unexpected visit. Since Yami seldom ever answers his phone, warning him ahead of time is nigh impossible.
We made a short trip at noon, wading street traffic to be back at Convention in Redondo Beach by 2pm.
A few PCOC Exhibits
All the exhibits at PCOC were impressive! I posted photos on the Westcoast Origami Guild Facebook page. I just don't have the energy to upload on Snapfish (have to figure out the password, now) where I've been hosting photos for the past few years over Flickr.
Sunday, November 05, 2017
Sunday, October 29, 2017
Monday, October 23, 2017
Demonstrating and Teaching Yesterday
I've been coming to the Van Nuys Garden for well over a decade, first hired by Michael Fritzen, I believe. at some point, Sylvia Wong took over the reigns and brought aboard more regular teachers at the annual Origami Day festival. This year, Carla Shaw has taken the helm.
Instead of just entertaining visitors, this year I had the freedom to also teach; and I got to be in the Tea House, which I ended up liking better.
I entrusted filming to one of the volunteers; but something happened and she missed recording some really good moments. Oh, well.
It was a fun 5 hours of origami (not counting the 2.5 hours before and hour after).
Georgette setting up her display models |
Sunday, October 22, 2017
Saturday, October 21, 2017
Origami Day at Van Nuys Japanese Garden
Hisako Tanji, Georgette Jenkins, Pam Miike, and myself:
It's an annual thing. Under new leadership, though.
Source |
Thursday, October 19, 2017
Nguyễn Hùng Cường's Buddha
Source |
At first I thought I was looking at a radical interpretation of Takashi HOJYO's classic Buddha. Nguyễn Hùng Cường's version is divine. (3 pieces; but 3 pieces that works really well).
Sunday, October 15, 2017
Tuesday, October 10, 2017
Fly High, Dreamers!
Source |
Wonderful artistic expression by Nguyễn Hùng Cường:
Material: one uncut square paperCurrently displayed in "Paper Heroes" exhibition, Jaffa Museum, Tel aviv, Israel; curated by Ilan Garibi
I created this work to show my deep gratitude to origami community. The boy is myself, and the hand represents all origami creators who inspired me, making my dream come true. In the future I hope myself will also be an inspiration for the next generations of origami.
Monday, October 09, 2017
Model Menu sneak peak: $ Flower-in-a-Pot
I'm signed up to PCOC so far to teach at least 2 models. This is one of them.
I think I taught this at my first OUSA Convention around 2002. Herman Lau went out of his way to make sure I taught it according to his specifications as, at the time, he said people were getting the proportions of the pot wrong.
The class will also be remotely broadcast. So for those of you who are unable to attend, please consider tuning in from the comforts of your home.
I'm hoping Herman Lau himself can still attend (he's located up in Sacramento).
Do androids dream of origami sheep?
Sheep Created by Jun MAEKAWA Folded by Michael Sanders 10” x 10” commercial kami Diagram source: Genuine Origami, Tanteidan Convention Book #8 |
I'm still curious to know if the production sought and received permission from Maekawa. Perhaps it's in the closing credits?
Sunday, October 08, 2017
Friday, October 06, 2017
Do you ever dream of origami sheep?
The new Blade Runner 2049 movie is very well done. Worth seeing for anyone who enjoyed the first movie.
Oh, and like origami?
Spoiler alert:
Oh, and like origami?
Spoiler alert:
Tuesday, October 03, 2017
Sunday, October 01, 2017
Sunday, September 24, 2017
Pasadena Origami Festival at Storrier Stearns Japanese Gardens
Meher McArthur:
Looking for something fun to do with the family this Sunday? Come to the Pasadena Origami Festival at the Storrier Stearns Japanese Garden, from 10am to 4pm. Come and learn how to fold flowers, animals and modular forms with expert folders like Joel Stern and Jared Needle of the Pacific Ocean Paperfolders (POP) in the gorgeous setting of our Japanese Garden. I will be giving a talk about contemporary origami art and signing copies of my new book New Expressions in Origami Art and my earlier book Folding Paper.
So today I spent time at the Gardens teaching the Thai Tulip:
In between teaching, I managed to film Joel Stern telling teaching tales:
This one is a Storigami by Christine Petrell Kallevig:
Photos here.
Sunday, September 17, 2017
Sunday, September 10, 2017
Sunday, September 03, 2017
Sunday, August 27, 2017
Sunday, August 20, 2017
Wednesday, August 16, 2017
Recycling flyers
What do you do when you have a stack of leftover flyer cards that are expired?
Recycle the origamist way:
Origami Workshop at Mitsuwa in Los Angeles
Sunday, August 13, 2017
Sunday, August 06, 2017
Saturday, August 05, 2017
Teaching at Descanso Gardens for Family Night
Family night at Descanso Gardens yesterday involved a showing of "Kubo and the Two Strings". I provided the origami entertainment prior to the movie playing out on an outdoor big screen.