Fantastic Folds
Ahead of December’s Frederick Harris Gallery exhibition, Bonnie Cherni shares how she fell in love with a Japanese craft.
Epic Origami is known for its larger-than-life origami installations and innovative teaching.
This month, the group will exhibit its works in the Frederick Harris Gallery and welcome Members to a hands-on workshop. Founder Bonnie Cherni, who discovered origami at age 15 when her mother was given a book by a Japanese exchange student, reveals her folded journey with INTOUCH.
What was your first impression of origami?
My first impression, from the book my mother received, was “Wow! Origami is so hard! Maybe I should give up.” We worked all day, and I felt very frustrated.
How did you hone your craft?
That first book was very difficult. Luckily, my second book, written by John Montroll, really helped me succeed. I’m unusual in this field as an artist who loves animals and wants to create them with my hands. Usually, male engineers dominate origami, and the diagrams can be very challenging for me. Montroll’s books were the bridge that empowered me to create the animals I love. His designs excel at structure and can be increased in size.
What is the most unusual medium you’ve used?
I enjoy the idea of attempting origami from interesting materials. Shower curtains can sometimes have great designs that work well. I also use outdoor vinyl, the type used to cover cars, to prolong the life of my pieces outdoors.
A friend asked if I could fold a dragon from copper mesh. I didn’t know if it was possible, but I put on gloves and started folding. The medium worked beautifully, and I’m able to show copper-mesh sculptures in arid climates where the moisture doesn’t change them.
Beeswax wrap is another fun medium. It coats the fabric, helping my folds stay in place. We create our own huge sheets of “paper” that are one piece of material if unfolded. We include aluminum layers inside to give us an armature to keep our origami strong so it can stand.
How did you bring together the Epic Origami team?
Epic Origami attracts the best of the best among origami artists, team members who are collaborative and committed to sharing origami as a gesture of peace and community. People say my passion for origami is contagious, and my experimental nature intrigues others. We hosted renowned French origami artist Terry Nicolas and Robert Lang, an American physicist and one of the world’s leading origami artists, at our Denver airport show.
Tell us about the origami workshop you’ll host at the Club.
Our origami workshops are fun, whether this is your first day or you’ve been doing origami for years. We understand where you are and where you’re headed and encourage progress as you fold patterns that fit your level rather than striving for perfection. Wherever you are in your origami journey, expect to be delighted by a day full of fun and laughter!
Epic Origami Exhibition
December 3–January 6 | Frederick Harris Gallery
Origami Extravaganza Workshop
December 14 | 10am–3pm
Words: C Bryan Jones
Image: Epic Origami
December 2024
