Ancient Art for Beginners

The Cranbrook and District Arts Council is pleased to announce their upcoming origami workshop and introduce you to guest instructor Steve Bondy.

Origami, commonly considered to be an art form originating in Japan, receives its name from two Japanese words ‘ori’, meaning fold, and ‘kami’ (when compounded becomes ‘gami’), meaning paper. Originally a Buddhist art form used for spiritual and religious purposes, due to the high cost of paper, origami is now a cheap and enjoyable art form that can be explored by people of all ages.

Steve says that he’s ‘dabbled in origami on and off for as long as I can remember’. On his practice, he says ‘I have advanced to what I’d call the level of experienced novice, or early intermediate. I love making things and working with my hands, and particularly enjoy working with paper and wood’. Steve’s modesty in his ability is evident in the beautiful pieces he creates from the simplest of mediums. Steve also volunteers as a Cub Scout leader, working with youth eight to 10 years old, and loves teaching people new things.

In his workshop on Thursday, November 28, between 6:30-8.30 p.m., Steve will introduce students to the basic folds used to create simple animals and shapes. The class will then move on to more complex models, including the famous crane. The crane is perhaps the most iconic origami piece, however not many people know how it came to be a staple of the practice.

The paper crane has featured in the practice for many years, as the crane is a symbol of fortune and longevity in Japanese culture. However, the crane was made iconic because of a Japanese girl by the name of Sasaki, Sadako. A victim of the Hiroshima atomic bombing in 1945, growing up with and suffering the effects of leukemia, Sadako heard of the lore of wishes granted by the gods to anyone able to fold one thousand paper cranes. Determined, Sadako set out to fold 1,000 cranes in the belief she’d be granted a wish to save her life.

Sadako sadly did not reach her goal, and perhaps realizing that she wouldn’t is believed to have changed her wish to that of world peace and an end to suffering. Upon her death at the age of twelve, Sadako’s friends in the hospital completed the remaining cranes, burying her with all one thousand. Since then the crane has become a symbol of peace and hope in the face of adversity, and is the best known origami piece in the practice of the art.

So why not try your hand at this beautiful and intricate practice? Create a crane of peace for yourself and other models besides! These models would make great token gifts for upcoming holiday parties or additional decorations to your festive creations and gifts this season. The workshop is suitable for people of all ages and levels, but is intended as an introduction to the art, students will be given all the materials needed and Steve welcomes students to bring their own paper if they would like.

To register for this workshop, or to find out about more interesting workshops and events happening at the Cranbrook and District Arts Council, please contact the CDAC via email at: [email protected], phone 250-426-4223, or from the CDAC website www.cranbrookanddistrictartscouncil.com.

Cranbrook and District Arts Council

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