"Where shall we find her, how shall we sing to her, / Fold our hands round her knees and cling?"

I'm back from Origami USA 2014, three days of folding and more folding in New York. It was, indeed, interesting to see how that fandom is similar to and different form SF, anime, and comics fandoms. Because all participants are being in some measure artistic/creative, the line between creators and consumers is much more blurry. As symbol of this, the hospitality area was a large hall filled with tables, where everyone congregated when not in a session -- folding, socializing, networking, teaching each other models and techniques, all activities that also blur together.

A very strong ethos of sharing and teaching other. Passing it on. Yes, SF writers do this, but teaching is the fundamental interaction between folders. Also: many, many children. Roughly twice as many boys as girls, but the proportions were roughly the same for both pre-teens and teens. Adults, roughly equal men and women -- it was hard to judge exactly, as the non-participating guardians for younger children were overwhelmingly mothers rather than fathers.

Speaking of teaching, I attended formal sessions for learning six models, which I will share ( under a cut because many pictures )

Oh, but I do have to share this one photo from the exhibit hall: "witch girl" by Mitsugu Otani:



I think Studio Ghibli fans can supply names to that witch and that cat. And all of us, several superlative adjectives to the designer for folding this from a single (very large) square of paper.

---L.

Subject quote from "Atalanta in Calydon," Algernon Charles Swinburne.