Try something new: origami
Having never tried anything like it before, Denise Swain discovered there’s a lot more to the ancient art of origami than just folding paper
Denise Swain never thought of herself as particularly arty, but now she takes home two or three wonderful handmade creations every week. Her masterpieces require no paint, no glue, no decoration or particular equipment – just paper, her fingers and plenty of concentration. Denise first got into the art form of origami when guru Dave Venables, who’s been practising the skill since he was a teenager, came to give a talk at her local University of the Third Age (U3A) group. “I was an accountant when I worked, so I like numbers, spreadsheets and straight lines. But there was something about the idea of trying something completely new that I’d never done before that really made origami appeal to me. Dave also offered chocolate to anyone who came so that was a draw,” laughs Denise. “To start with, the main challenge was learning how to concentrate so hard and listen to someone else giving instructions to follow. If you lose concentration or your mind wanders you end up missing the next move, so you have to think. “Initially, we did easy models like penguins before starting more complicated shapes. Now we often do a mixture of things such as animals, flowers and geometric shapes which are all fun to make. We keep things seasonal, so we’ll do Christmas decorations from October and spring flowers in the nicer weather.” The rules of origami, unlike many other art forms, are fairly strict, meaning you have to very carefully follow a set of instructions. You can only use one piece of paper – Denise’s group often work on paper squares of six, ten or 12 inches – and you can only fold the paper backwards or forwards; no ripping or sticking allowed. “One of the hardest things we ever made was of a couple dancing as it can be hard to make things look realistic. It’s also very fiddly with quite precise folds.” While some of the group continue their origami sessions at home, Denise says one of her favourite things about this hobby has been the social side.
“It’s a really social opportunity and we all get on very well. Dave, our instructor, is also very patient and always helps us when we need.
“It never fails to amaze me how many things you can create with just a plain piece of paper. While it takes a lot of concentration I also find it really relaxing because for those few hours, you can’t think about anything else.”
■ For information on local classes, meetings or tips visit www.britishorigami.info or www.u3a.org.uk
‘It amazes me how many things you can create with just a plain piece of paper’