Nick Robinson's Blog, page 24

Profundity Of The Relationship Between Origami & Music

That’s the snappy title of an article written by Koshiro Hatori in the Tanteidan Magazine 145. The Tanteidan (Japanese for “detectives”) are a high-end origami group who study the deeper ends of the folding art. I can’t read Japanese, but Hatori-san contacted me a while ago for details of how I have used paper within the field of music. You can read more here.

Buddhist Origami

I’ve created a facebook page for my latest book, please “like” and post photos when you fold from it!

Mod Star video

Jonathon M (surname unknown) asked for permission to make this video. Don’t forget, it was designed to be made using 5 or 6 sheets to form a 3D star.

Wentworth bowl developed

I have a design called “Wentworth Bowl”, which I intend to teach at the forthcoming OUSA convention. As I went through the diagrams, tweaking them, I spotted a nice variation produced by curling the edges over. It requires some subtlety in folding to produce curves rather than creases, but I like it. Here’s an example folded from canson paper (still one of my favourite media). I used a template to locate the initial blintz creases, so the centre of the paper is clean.

Wayne Brown SFM

At the last BOS convention, I had the enormous pleasure of presenting a Sidney French Medal to my friend Wayne Brown. This award is given by the BOS in recognition of services to origami and the BOS above and beyond the call of duty.  Here are the words on the inscription.

“Since joining the British Origami Society in 1973 as a teenager, Wayne Brown has amassed a library and archive of over 5000 origami books, and approximately 30,000 model diagrams. Many of the diagrams he drew by hand, more recently using a computer, and his output continues unabated! Wayne’s private collection contains many unique items and is one of the largest in the world. He has an encyclopaedic knowledge on all things origami: you only have to ask to receive copious information and background on a vast range of origami-related subjects. Many people are unaware that Wayne has also designed over 750 models, with several of these published in commercial books.

He served on the BOS Council and has co-organised many BOS conventions. He has hosted mini-meetings at his home and attended hundreds of others at Manchester, Birmingham, Derby, Sheffield and elsewhere. His teaching is exemplary and he always has a range of exciting designs to offer at mini-meetings. He takes particular care to prepare the models so they can be taught effectively! He has taught at many public sessions, including schools and Institutes. He has voluntarily proof-read diagrams for 13 commercial origami books.

He has been central to our work with the David Lister archive and some years ago manually converted David’s massive hand-written list of books into electronic format, a task that has proven invaluable. He is also involved with the Societies own library and archive, working alongside the librarian to identify which books should be loaned, archived or released.

We are truly fortunate to have such a devoted member and one whose love of origami is as strong as it was forty odd years ago. His thoughtful insight into our art is highly valued. We are delighted to recognise Wayne Brown’s selfless service to origami with the award of this medal.”

To be fair, Wayne says he doesn’t know the individual described above ;)

Having been awarded one myself some years ago, I can sympathise with the shock/horror that Wayne clearly felt when his name was red out. He’d tried to head off for the tea machine and was dragged back on some pretext by a council member. Later on, he put the puzzle together and realised why his wife (who has little appreciation of origami) was so keen that he attended!

I have to say, the pleasure of giving this award was every bit equal to that of receiving it, a moment I will long treasure.

Dishes (ice cream for the use of)

Cilla Voit worked at a a national scout competition in Finland and asked if if it was okay to use the instructions for my star dish for one of the tasks. The scouts made ice cream in the forest and served it in the origami dish. Then they got points both for the box and the ice cream.

She says “The dish was perfect. Too difficult for some teams, but totally manageable for others. We folded the boxes of some kind of baking paper so they would hold the melting ice cream.”

Nice to think one of my dishes has served a practical purpose ;)

Here are the scouts at the start of the event!

All come to look for America!

It can be announced (shock horror), that I’m to be the guest of Origami USA this year. More details here. I was first invited several years ago, but had to cancel due to an extended period of illness with some kind of inner-ear infection. Finally, I feel sufficiently back to normal to accept their kind invitation. My fellow guest is Isa Klein, about whom I know very little. A good excuse to google!

This will be my first (and probably last) trip to the States, so I’m pretty nervous about the culture shock and visiting such a large convention, so please bear with me if I look a little bewildered! I’ll probably be around New York for a few days before and after, feel free to get in touch if you want to hook up. I have so many origami friends in the States, I hope to meet as many as possible.

I’ve had tentative approval for visiting without a formal VISA, but still worry they may turn me away at customs for crimes against fashion over the years. Brilly has referred me to the long list of “do’s and don’ts for teachers” and I fear I shall be in contravention of several – we have our own way of doing things in England and I’m far too old to change ;)

In an act of extraordinary generosity, my old friend Mark Kennedy has offered to pay for my wife Alison to come along. She was gutted that we didn’t have the funds to allow this and we are eternally indebted.

Brian Goodall

It’s always wonderful to meet old friends at an origami convention. The recent spring convention in Birmingham was no exception, when Brian Goodall came to call. Brian (and his late wife, Margaret) ran the BOS library when I joined in 1984, and for many years afterwards. I was fortunate enough to visit his house in the 80s and admire the amazing library in all its glory. Brian was justifiably proud and put in immense amounts of time and love into maintaining it.

I remember at one of my early conventions, there was an evening of entertainment. Dave Brill, Ted Norminton and I performed as a “jazz trio”, offering “I want you to play with my little paper thing” (a la Chuck Berry). Brian’s act involved a two man physical comedy sketch, where he played both characters. This involved a deal of lying down and jumping up again, hugely entertaining ;)

He passed the library reins on many years ago and I hadn’t seen him for a long time, but at 84, he’s looking amazingly well and was in good spirits. The photo was taken in the gloom without flash, so is somewhat grainy, but it captured the mood nicely.

real work ;)

As a welcome break from writing million selling books, I have a commercial job tomorrow evening providing a talk and workshop for a company at a Japanese-inspired hotel owned by Honda. It’s called the Stanton House Hotel (near Swindon) and looks very attractive!

Buddhist Origami arrives

I was delighted to receive a copy of my latest book, Buddhist Origami. As with the previous volume (Angel Origami), it looks beautiful and I’m delighted with how the publishers have laid it out. Great colour photos, free paper, colourful, elegant, what more could I ask for? Apparently, it’s been translated to Korean – my first book in this language.

Sadly, for only the second time in my writing career, I’ve managed to omit a creator from the list of credits. Evi Binzinger, who created the wonderful “Temple Boxes”, doesn’t appear on the end credits. How this omission occurred, I’ve no idea, I can only offer my sincerest apologies and ask for an amendment on any reprints.

Publication date is June 17, 2014, but this doesn’t always mean it’s not for sale earlier!