Larry’s Pretty Good Journal

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.

Since LJ often seems to have answers to life's little questions:

Does anyone know if a poetry reading has been organized @ World Fantasy this year? And if so, how to get in on the hot line-breaking action?

For that matter, is anyone here going that I don't already know about? Assuming you want to, yanno, meet or something like that.

---L.

kate_nepveu asked for a pic of the griffin I folded during TusCon this weekend.* By the time I got back to the hotel lobby, it had vanished,** so as a substitute, here's a Chinese dragon by the same designer*** in a crappy, unprocessed cell-phone shot.



Almost as cute. Made from 15x15cm paper acquired from the pusher. I should have taken a picture of it facing the western-style dragon, but didn't think to.


* In my defense, they put a packet of origami paper outside the anime room. Like I was supposed to ignore it? Besides, the registration desk looked lovely, decked in fantasy creatures and connected cranes.

** Which is a pity, as it was way cute at 2" long.

*** John Montroll, from Mythological Creatures and the Chinese Zodiac in Origami.

---L.

My NASfic schedule:

• Thu 2 Aug, 6:00pm (GC - Marquette A) - Figuring Out the Figurative: Elizabeth Barrette (M), Beth Meacham, Thomas Stratman, Laura LeHew, Larry Hammer
  
  
• Fri 3 Aug, 9:00pm (GC - Marquette B) - (YA) Learn About the World of Manga: Larry Hammer, anyone I can draft
  
  
• Sat 4 Aug, Noon (GC - Marquette B) - (YA) Poetry - Along Genre Lines: Larry Hammer, Laura LeHew

Annotations:

• Thu - Beth, will you be there? My plane lands at 4:30 so there's a chance I'll be late.
  
  
• Fri - The other panelist has dropped out. Anyone want to join me? Does anyone have any manga they want me to mention?
  
  
• Sat - I confess I'm to blame for the title of this one. Now I have to figure out what I meant by that. And why it's a YA panel.

---L.

ETA: I'm now also on a non-YA panel on Manga, Fri 1 pm, thus completing the grid.