Oragmi art on display

ORIGAMI ART ON VIEW AT YUME JAPANESE GARDENS OF TUCSON

 The intriguing and popular Japanese art of paper folding – origami – will be on display April 3 to May 2 at Yume Japanese Gardens of Tucson, in an exhibition by local origami artist M. Craig. A free opening reception will be held at the Gardens from 5 to 7 pm on Friday April 3.

Artistic paper folding took hold in Japan in the 17^th century. A small number of basic paper folds can result in surprisingly complex creations made with no use of glue or scissors. A practiced origami maker can create designs ranging from roses and bonsai to the traditional Japanese crane with movable wings, as well as fish, horses, and other animals.   

Raised in both America and Japan, multi-cultural origami artist M. Craig holds a degree in Fine Arts and is co-founder of the Tucson Origami Club. She has taught Japanese paper-folding techniques throughout the Tucson region since 1996, creating both miniature and life-size designs.

“M,” as she calls herself, has shared her talent for origami with children in public and private schools, and in workshops at Canyon Ranch Resort & Spa, the Tucson Botanical Gardens, Pima County public libraries, the Tucson Children’s Museum, and the Tucson Medical Center's Oasis Adult Education Program, among many other local organizations. She also has led team building workshops for businesses and community service organizations and has participated in city-wide multicultural events such as Tucson Meet Yourself, as well as in Japanese-American educational programs.

The Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum featured M’s origami hummingbirds and bats in a 2005 exhibition, and her creations have been on view in several earlier exhibitions at Yume Japanese Gardens of Tucson. 

Yume Japanese Gardens (www.yumegardens.org) highlights classical Japanese landscape design. A non-profit organization founded in 2013, it includes a stone Zen garden, koi pond, dry river, Japanese house, and fountains. The Gardens are located at 2130 North Alvernon Way, one block south of the Tucson Botanical Gardens. Contact the Gardens at520.332.2928 or yume.gardens@gmail.com.