RIP Gay Merrill Gross

06-28-03

 I can't remember if my first OUSA convention happened before or after 9/11.

 I think 2000 or 2001 was when I first started discovering modern origami designs. Then went to my first WCOG meeting. I'm thinking maybe it was after 9/11, but am not totally sure.

 Maybe 2002 was my first OUSA? I think the previous year I had met Joel Bauer; and he eventually was vacationing in Hawaii where he discovered a street artist named Won Park. It's because of Joel Bauer that Won Park was put in touch with the origami community and attended his first OUSA meeting (If it wasn't in 2002, maybe it was 2004? And Won and I became connected through Joel).

 I was familiar with a few people by name prior to my first OUSA, due to correspondence on the origami mailing list. Andrew Hans (we started corresponding when I, John Andrisan, and Jim Cowling each independently came up with a version of Stephen Delecat's $ t-shirt with tie, then shared photos. I remember back then being shocked how knowledge of how to fold the model quickly spread to the east coast and throughout; and I believe Delecat then released diagrams the following year in The Paper). Rob Hudson was another one. He and I childishly broke lances on the O-List and I think an admin had to step in and admonish us. I thought it would be awkward during our first meeting, but things were cool. I believe we may have finally met when he took my Louis Cooper Angel class. I thought he was a crusty old guy but it turned out he was young. 😂 I enjoyed his humor on the Origami-L when he and I ribbed June Sakamoto with being the most beautiful lady in origami. 

 Through the Origami Mailing List, I had contacted Fumiaki Kawahata and asked him for permission to teach his Jedi Master Yoda model and also sell ones I folded, in the Gold Mine (selling is how I managed to afford my trip to NYC). He said yes, but probably not call it Yoda because he said he hadn't consulted George Lucas. 😀 

 My Yoda class involved teaching how I bonded tissue foil with unryu to get the color and texture for the Jedi Master.

 I remember my class took place in the hospitality area of the Fashion Institute of Technology, where folders usually hung out between classes to chill, share, and fold at leisure.

 As I was teaching my class, I pulled out a can of spray glue to show how I bonded the paper to the foil paper. Up to that point, it hadn't occurred to me how that probably shouldn't be done indoors. Well, sitting behind me at another table was Gay Merrill Gross. And after her initial shock and horror, boy, did she lay into me! She was in a bit of panic, informing me about her health condition. I don't quite remember how we got through that first impression and initial interaction, but we became friends after that. She was one of the highlights of my trips to OUSA conventions.

 I remember once, I think she told me a political joke that might have involved a storigami- I do remember some sort of prop with the joke. And the joke was a rib at George W. Bush. I gently let her know I was a supporter of Bush Jr. She had such a sweet reaction of shock on her face and apologetic, "oh...". It wasn't one of disappointment in me for my choice in political support, but one of surprise (how can someone as nice as Michael Sanders be a Republican?) an embarrassment with the assumption that the whole world hated Bush. I reassured her that it was okay and I wasn't in the least bit offended. I may have even found the joke clever and amusing. 

 Over time, I stopped attending OUSA Conventions yearly. But Gay would occasionally remember me and share something of her work via email (I wish she were on social media- namely FB- so we could have shared more of what was going on in our lives).

 I hadn't been in touch with Gay in quite a while. When I saw a mutual friend make mention of her in an FB post, I asked how Gay was doing. Well, within the next couple of days, people began messaging me about how Gay had passed a couple of weeks ago.

 Gay was one of those origami luminaries that I admired and appreciated and who I took for granted would be around forever. Even with her seeming physical fragility. I just assumed.... 

 I've missed her; and now that she's gone, I really miss her and have the regret of never having expressed to her how much she meant to me. How much I learned from her.

 One of the things I always wanted to learn from her was how she fanned a stack of paper like a magician. I first saw her do this in an old Home & Gardens video (available back in the early 2000s but can't find it anymore) that featured either PCOC (maybe in San Francisco?) or some other origami event. And in the video, Gay fanned a stack of paper, then took one sheet and told a storigami that involved a whale and a penguin. I used to know it and if I gave it a moment, can probably retrieve memory of the tale and the folding sequence. That and Anne Bedrick's teaching tale with Deg Farrelly's butterfly are the only ones I've ever bothered to learn. (https://www.giladorigami.com/SW_tale.html)

 Gay did show me how she did it one year as she knew of my interest in it; but for some reason, I didn't bother to practice it myself and now memory of how she did it has faded. 

 Memory of Gay and what she contributed to the world, however, will remain firmly fixed in the best corner of my heart. https://www.facebook.com/OrigamiUSA/posts/989061410009069

Won Park's fighter jet

This is one of the first models I folded of Won Park's, back around 2002.  I think that may have been our first OUSA convention?

Joel Bauer is the one who was responsible for putting Won in touch with the origami community and setting his sights to venture to NYC for the convention.

Joel met Won while vacation in Hawaii.  Won, at the time, was a street artist.  When Joel returned back to Los Angeles, he raved about this origami artist he had met.  I thought he might have been exaggerating, since this was a guy no one had ever heard of.  Joel brought back some of Won's amazing work.  Won was a lone folder who soon became known to the community after OUSA.  Joel helped convince both Won and myself to attend our first origami convention.


                                 From L to R: Michael Sanders, Won Park, Vernon IsaacPhoto by Susan Dugan, OUSA 2002

Mark Kennedy

Waking up to the news of Mark Kennedy passing.

For me, he was a fixture and featured attraction at Origami USA conventions in New York.

Like Mark and Arlene, I spent a good amount of my Convention time in the Gold Mine, selling items that helped fund for my trip. The Gold Mine had a lot of down time when most potential customers were in rooms taking folding classes. For me, Mark's jokes never got old because it was so funny to watch the reactions of kids and parents interacting with him. He'd always tell kids that it was their lucky day because he had a special going on for kids under 12 (or whatever age he said) and allow for them to choose a free pin from a special box of them (Mark and Arlene fold and lacquered origami pin/brooches).

He and Arlene were always generous with their time and energy, freely teaching models he knew and sharing diagrams in his possession.

My one regret was always taking such short trips to NYC, that I never made it to one of their after-Convention fold-and-feed gatherings.

Thank you for the treasured memories, Mark. You touched so many lives- mine being one among them.

The video clip is from OUSA June 24, 2007.

You can see more tributes and memories of Mark shared here.

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). 

OUSA Live-Blogging

Matthew Green has been prolific in his postings regarding the OUSA Convention activities, including live-blogging.  Check out and "like" or "follow" his FB page.

The Harry Potter Origami World of Wensdy Whitehead

Wensdy Whitehead is a folder who many of you, outside of convention-goers, have probably never heard about.  She's a rather prolific creator.

Although I'm not an HP fan, some of my favorite models of hers is back when she was trending HP models for a couple of years.

I put together a video of OUSA 2005 with some of these:



..


It's difficult to even find photos of her models, as she does not have a website or album like Flickr.  So in order to find photos of her stuff, you have to search for conventions she's attended where others have taken photos of her exhibit models.

I'd love it if the Powers That Be who hold the merchandising rights to HP would recognize that there is probably a market for HP origami.  It happened with Chris Alexander (after 12 years).

I have a few winged keys, golden snitches, and a 3-piece sorting hat that I have a mind to reverse engineer, as I can't remember how to fold them.

One model I hadn't had an opportunity to fold is her pegasus.  It looks good; and if you shape the wings just right, spins when you drop it.  Quite clever.

João Charrua Hulks Up!

Flickr Source

Ilan Garibi has an interview of this Portuguese artist up in the Fold.  Check it out.  Or Hulk will smash!

Hat tip: Ana Duarte

Action Model T-Rex

Kathleen Sheridan taught this model, designed by Oriol Esteve, at OUSA:

OUSA at Manhattan College

Won Park Koi folded for Marcee while he was vending

After a 7 year dry spell, I finally made my return to NYC for this year's Convention. 

 1st year at the new location, Manhattan College.

I left LAX on a redeye flight Thursday evening and arrived at La Guardia Friday early morning.  Taxied my way to the College without a hitch.

I shared a suite with Won Park and his mom, Maria; and Marcee Raffel.

It was great to see familiar faces, including those I've only known through the magic of the internet and social media.  My one lament is not having the time and opportunity to sit and fold or even chat with everyone there. 

Much of my time was spent on the 4th floor, vending.  Doing that ended up paying for about half the cost of my trip.  I shared a table with Won, who now sells origami jewelry- cranes that he folds himself and has cast into silver and gold. 

I did an hour of volunteer public teaching on Saturday and Sunday.  I didn't do much filming; but you can see a few clips of what I did capture, here:

 If I didn't have to spend time vending, I think I would have enjoyed signing up for more hours teaching to the general public.

I was delighted that the mom of one of my gymnasts and her older sister, who happened to be in NY, came by to visit and see the origami exhibits.

 The campus is nice; but the distance in walking from housing to the Commons to classes was hard on those older and with physical challenges.  Some of the complaints were legitimate grievances; others just have to do with 1st year growing pains in a new location; and personally I think some other griping is just that people love to gripe- there's a natural aversion to change.

I could actually dine on the dorm food all day.  But that's just me.  I have no accounting for taste, when it comes to food.

I only taught one class, which was on Saturday.  The model was Angel Blanco's self-closing box.  It was also selected for a live class, broadcast feed. 

I did not sign up for any classes; nor did I really learn anything new, aside from Arlene teaching me Mancini's Vertigo while hanging out on the 4th floor. 

I have a couple of gymnasts who are into owls and wanted to learn Won Park's barn owl.  He did not bring his crease pattern for it; but stayed up Saturday night to fold me a barn owl 3.0:

Won Park barn owl 3.0

My trip was pretty short and I took a redeye flight out of NY early Monday.  I stayed up all night.  Took a taxi to La Guardia which dropped me off at Terminal B, American Airlines.  This is because when I flew in from LAX, American Airlines and US Airways was combined.  I thought it was a combined merger.  I was wrong.  I needed to be at Terminal C for US Airways.  Well, La Guardia is pretty well closed down that early in the morning, with shuttles only coming alive after 4am.  So I hauled it by foot to Terminal B.  I was told it was a 10-15 minute walk; but that was an overexaggeration. 

Then I had another wait, this time in line for TSA check-in to open up.  Aside from having my hands swiped 3 different times and minor TSA hold-up (good job, agents!), everything went pretty smoothly.  But it just reaffirms my aversion to travel in general, in the post 9/11 era. 

I went practically straight from LAX to work on Monday. 

Photos are here.

Vertigo

I learned this model from Arlene last Sunday while we hung out in the Goldmine/Source/vending area at OUSA.  I believe she taught a class on Francesco Mancini's wonderful model.  Diagrams appeared in CDO convention book 2012, German convention book 2012; and is also now available for download from the OUSA Source.  $2 and $1.80 for members.

I will blog about my OUSA 2015 experiences soon.

Origami Games

Kinokuniya bookstore in Little Tokyo, LA- an advertisement for Joel Stern's book

Ilan Garibi has put together a collection of origami contest/games, commonly seen at origami conventions around the world. 

It got me to thinking about different ways in which to have origami games, in general (Not just amongst expert paperfolders).

One of the things I've been doing for the past several years at the Monterey Park Cherry Blossom Festival is the "Quick Fold" contest. 

Typically, Yami would end our onstage demonstration by teaching a highly complex piece of origami to the audience- his simple banger.  I'd then host a quick draw contest, complete with showdown music (Sergio Leone's spaghetti western sounds) and origami cowboy hats; followed by Samurai music (Abarenbo Shogun and Hissatsu Shigotonin) and various Samurai hats for contestants to wear. 

Dueling folders stand on opposite ends of the stage and on the count of 3, pick up a fresh sheet of paper and start folding a banger.  First one to successfully fold and make their model snap wins a prize (I usually give a prize to both participants).  I've yet to see anyone simplify a banger after understanding the concept of what creates the sound (they assume they need to fold the exact model they were just taught; and that they should fold it neatly). 

The Miniature World of Anja Markiewicz

Published in The Fold:

Imagine your whole exhibition, more than 30 models, stored in a matchbox. Anja always presents her models with a magnifying glass, otherwise you won't be able to see much of its beauty and elegance. As a master in miniature origami, she decided to go this extra mile and become a professional origami artist.
As always, nine questions are answered, and this time we have a bonus – I tried my hands in miniature-folding, under the smiling supervising eyes of Anja, and it was a very interesting experience...

Read the rest of Ilan Garibi's interview

Twisted Box by Susumu NAKAJIMA

I posted this video a while back on the WCOG FB page; but didn't think to post it here.

Post by Yuko Nomura.

I met Susumu Nakajima at OUSA one year (when he brought a lot of large-size red/black duo paper for a Mickey Mouse ears cap).  Very nice and generous person.  He even mailed me diagrams for a couple of his models after the Convention.

It should be noted that this fantastic model is not pure origami- requires cuts and g***.

Convention covered in WSJ Video Blog

The Convention as covered in a video blog from the Wall Street Journal:

The four-day OrigamiUSA convention, held at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, drew 650 people from a dozen countries across the Americas, Europe and Asia. The largest contingent was from the U.S., followed by Japan. And the convention is serious business — each attendee received  a “survival kit,” which included a packet of origami paper and a giant schedule of the 215 classes offered.

Susan Wettling, of Knoxville, Tenn., was seeking help from Hajime Komiya, a Tokyo-based origami artist. Despite no shared language, Mr. Komiya was walking her through the steps. “I knew he was going to be at this convention and needed his help,” Ms. Wettling said.

Soon after the convention opened on Friday, a crowd had gathered at the colorful display of origami models, which represented the classes offered, ranging in level from simple to complex.

By Saturday morning, 20 classes were sold out, including Jeremy Shafer’s “One-Piece Super Boomerang.” Primarily a juggler and children’s entertainer, Mr. Shafer is the author of three origami books and has an origami YouTube channel with about 25 million views and 70,000 subscribers.
He spent two days designing the one-sheet boomerang. Over the course of 50 rejects, he realized his mistake was in making it like a pinwheel. “I had to do a special move” to get the four arms into an exact “X,” he said.

Robert J. Lang’s 3D origami cat was another sellout class. A physicist and engineer, with dozens of patents, who became a full-time origami artist, Mr. Lang says the math ideas behind the art form of origami have applications in engineering. Such examples are air bags, medical implants as well as solar arrays and telescopes that have to get into the rockets that carry them. “Folding helps make a big thing small in a controlled way,” he said.

Go to the WSJ link to read the rest.

Hat tip: Jeremy Shafer

OUSA Sights & Sounds

From Jason Ku:

It's Begun!

OUSA Convention this weekend:

Careers in Origami

Dr. Robert Lang, via O-List:

Hi all,

OrigamiUSA's online magazine, The Fold, contains both members-only and
open-access content. I recently wrote an article for the current issue on
"Careers in Origami," which is open-access, meaning that you don't need to
be a member of OrigamiUSA to read it. It's here:

https://origamiusa.org/thefold/issue/22

Happy 91st Birthday!

June 26, 2005 OUSA, NYC

The WOW Factor has a nice interview with the venerable Laura Kruskal:

At the June 27 – 30 OrigamiUSA convention in New York, Laura will present a new “Convention Crown,” as she’s been doing every year for well over twenty years.

Oh, did I mention that my friend Laura Kruskal will be turning 91 years old next Sunday, June 15^th? This post is my way of broadcasting my happy birthday wishes to her.


~~~
Like everyone else who crosses her path, no doubt, I was immediately smitten by her vibrancy (she practically glows), her spontaneity and creativity (she gave some of us on the van an ad hoc lesson in making an origami envelope), and her self-sufficiency (she was traveling cross-country all alone, and planned to do the same on her return trip).

Without intending to, just by being herself, Laura Kruskal manages to shatter all of one’s existing stereotypes about what a woman her age should be or do.

At the time she and I met, I was doing research for a book I was planning on “the fine art of aging.” Laura, having just finished teaching at an origami conference in Albuquerque, wearing a big smile and a rhinestone-studded pin reading “I [HEART] ORIGAMI” looked to me like a glittering godsend. So we quickly made a date to get together as soon as we could so I could interview her.


~~~
“I think it’s very important to stay focused on something you love to do every day,” she said softly, smiling brightly. For her, clearly, that “something” is origami. She strives to create at least one new, original origami fold every day of her life. And, when she’s home in Princeton – where she’s lived in the same house for sixty years and still does her own housework and cooking — she is often called on to teach origami in schools, libraries, retirement homes, at birthday parties, and even in prisons. “I stay busy,” she said. “And origami makes me happy. I love what I do.”

Read the entire piece by Bonnie Lee Black.  Hat tip:  Karen Reeds via Origami-L:

If you're anywhere close to Princeton, New Jersey, this Wednesday evening,
come to the Princeton Public Library Origami Group meeting, for this SNEAK
PREVIEW, Wednesday, June 11, 6:30-8pm: Laura Kruskal will teach her
original model, the 2014 OrigamiUSA Convention Crown!

History of the 5 Pigs Puzzle

The first time I saw this (and another related one) was at my first OUSA convention.  It might have been Cyril Tessier who had them to give out.  I still have them somewhere.


Puzzle of the Five Pigs

History behind it, according to psywarrior.com:

For many years prior to WWII various venders made and sold puzzles to children.  These puzzles had a number of different pictures on the front, and when folded in a special complex way depicted a hidden picture of an old man, or sometimes a political laeder, sports figure or movie star.

Pig Puzzle

During WWII the British Special Operations executive is believed to have produced a number of different puzzles showing four pigs on the front, that when folded depicted the face of Adolf Hitler.  At least four types of the pig puzzle are known, and it is believed that besides being used in Allied countries as a morale booster, they were also shipped to partisans in Nazi-occupied nations to attack and belittle the German Fuhrer.

One type with English text says, "Fold as directed to find the biggest pig of all."  Another English-language puzzle says, "Puzzle of the pig.  Here is the puzzle of the fifth pig.  To find a fifth one fold as directed."  A third puzzle is found in both French and English and was also distributed in Australia.  

~~~

Apparently, many of these puzzles were also dropped by the Royal Air Force.  In 2008, I received a letter that stated:

My father came to Canada from the Netherlands in the 1950s.  When he was a young man in Holland during the war he collected different things.  He has a paper he said they threw out of an airplane.  It is written in Dutch and English.  "Can you find the 5th pig." There are four pigs on the picture, and when folded right the four pigs together make a face that resembles Hitler.

Some more people mentioning inheriting one of these from a grandparent.

If anyone has anymore information on the background and history of this and related, let me know.

Large as Life

The Nick Robinson one Himanshu Agrawal folded last year is from a 42-ft. square. The final model stands at 13-ft in height.

For more oversized origami, check out the OUSA Convention competition: