Friday, January 7, 2011

FOLDING, UNFOLDING, ENFOLDING


Box of Autumn by Eva of Tinctory. See blog here.


I read of someone writing poems on handmade paper, folding them into origami cranes and leaving them all over London, to brighten someone's day.
From origami cranes I pondered over writing a blog post about folding paper .... or fabric .... canvas or metal. I thought of folding dog ears in a book to keep one's place .... and unfolding. My thoughts inevitably wandered over to wrapping, unwrapping, folding, enfolding...... Thus, this post was born :-)
Necklace by Eva of Tinctory. See shop here.



Film Star by John Latham. See link here.



Painting is an open book by John Latham

Between Folds/Encyclopaedia by Francisca Prieto. See Website here.
Mary Bogdan. See Flickr photo stream here.

A favourite image I've posted before by Sarah Mitchell. See link here.
"I enjoy the process of folding the paper, sewing the signatures, and the fact that from this repetition, surprising new things can emerge... " - Sarah Mitchell


Romance by Cara Barer. Website here.


Blue Lotus by Jenny Gifford. Photo by Lianne Burton on Flickr, here.

Tiny wrapped parcels by Kwang-Young Chun have intrigued me for a while. Photo by Jasmine Trabelsi on Flickr, see more here.



I love these metal packets by Kyleen Jeans. See link here.



Folding by Katherine Chang Liu. See more here.

55 comments:

  1. What a great little story to go with these beautiful images. Now I can see what a wonderful way folding paper can add texture to my art as well. Thank you!

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  2. A pleasure to look at, your posts always fuel me with instant inspiration...

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  3. blue lotus...BLOWS MY MIND. you have outdone yourself with this post. :)

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  4. Ooh I don't know where to start looking first, Such loveliness! Thanks Robyn and Happy New Year to you. x

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  5. This post is amazing Robyn-each photo is scrumptious (odd word for words, books and pages...)--but there is something so lovely in that which is hidden and that which is revealed. Thank you for this morning surprise!

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  6. Thank you for sharing
    those amazing work
    good creations

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  7. Oh, these images! My favorite days are ones with an Art Propelled post!
    Thank you Robyn!

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  8. another delightful post Robyn and a great reminder that the most simplest things can be turned into the most powerful and inspiring works of art . Wow on Katherine Chang Liu..brilliant artist and Eva's textile pieces always fascinate me!

    Took Dexter to the Vet this morning for an X-ray as he's been limping..just growing pains. Anyway he wasn't to have breakfast before so he tried to eat my kids, the vet and everyone in his way til he got home for his meal....also found out I'm not feeding him enough. Crikey, I think he's part croc...

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  9. Fantastic collection....folding has always fascinated me as well! And I love wrapped things....such profound mystery! Thanks for another inspirational post Robyn!!!

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  10. oh my gosh, the jewelry by eva! i'm swooning here... as always, thank you, robyn. : )

    xoxo

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  11. What a great idea writing poems on origami birds ....i wish I had thought of that its such a beautiful idea .........loved the post as always .....xx

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  12. Dear Robyn-your blog posts always give me food for thought...and such eye candy!! I just LOVE that necklace!! And "Romance"...the book pages so sculptural...and the tiny wrapped parcels with Chinese text...Thanks for always imparting knowlege and inspiration...and such good good madness:)
    P.S. Tara is doing much better now! xxx

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  13. thank you i've enjoyed these so much
    another brilliant fold is Hedi Kyle's blizzard book
    i use it to build on to/stitch into

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  14. A most interesting idea Robyn and a lot of creative food for thought here.

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  15. I have a one-track mind. When you said folding dog ears in a book, I immediately thought of pressing soft floppy beagle ears in a book like flowers and was totally confused for a bit!

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  16. I love it! I think what intrigues me most is the juxtaposition created between hiding and revealing with each fold.

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  17. I am bit like a few others, my best day is when there is a post from you, so much to see and think about.

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  18. Wonderful idea for a post...each piece is an intriguing world...the partial text and images have unfolded germs of new ideas! thank you again!

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  19. Beautiful post and photos. My Grandmother used to fold book pages decades ago and she made amazing art with them. Sadly I have none of her work. Art is magical...

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  20. What wonderful images! Your post makes me stop and think of all the folding and unfolding I, (and all of us) do in a day and sheds a new light on it. It now seems more meditative and purposeful. Thanks for that.

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  21. "surprising new things can emerge..."

    ahhh... yes, and now I with these words dancing together in my head, am surprised by the emergence.

    -- the ideas they bring to me, : )

    One reason i will always want a book over a digital reader is the little dialogue of written thought i have with myself (and some others when we share my books)by scribbling notes in the margins; over years of returning to certain poets or novels/stories the stuff written on the pages makes a second text--I write so much inside the margins and on returning to the pages, years later find such gifts of thought i don't recall having had at all; but its awakening to read "her" even if it is me.

    ,
    thanda thanda

    love the blue lotus.

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  22. such beauty Robyn, thanks for this. xo

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  23. R-another brilliant sharing from you. Such great images and creativity by the artists. And it makes me realise I do love collections and multiples. Thanks. B

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  24. Such beauty in a common medium. I have admired Mary Bogdan's work for quite some time but the other artists are new to me. The necklace by Eva Tinctory is stunning.

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  25. Inspiring images... I love the variety of folds and wraps. I love the book signatures that become patterns when out all together and seen from sides and tops-
    brilliant!

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  26. GAD!
    I have right clicked on every link!

    yum
    yum
    yum

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  27. This Christmas as part of my new Christmas decor this year, I wrapped all sizes of empty boxes with brown paper bag papers, wrapped rice papers and raffia round them and tied brown tags to them- so I love wrapped boxes and folded and wrapped anything too.

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  28. Thank you for such wonderful inspirations. Beautiful! Have a great weekend. Peace be with you!

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  29. Ok, so I won't be balancing the books this morning - I'm heading right into the studio. Thanks as always Robyn. It is really a great gift you give to the other artists to share their exceptional work and links with so many.

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  30. des créations qui me font chaud au coeur!

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  31. These are beautiful, but especially the blue lotus, it appeals with it's colour and shape.

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  32. I like reading about how you come to make your posts. The mind is a beautiful thing. These folded etc pieces are great. I really like the tiny packages made with the asian way of writing on them. I am always facinated with their writing which seems like an art in itself. Have a great weekend.

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  33. Wax Beach Artist, I'm wondering how long it would take me to open the oragami to discover the poem inside..... if I happened to find one in my neck of the woods.

    Thanks Ger.

    Paula, now I have the giggles because I thought you would flip over the metal packets :-)

    Jo, don't you just love the colours in the Box of Autumn?!

    Hannah, I can live with scrumptious for words and books :-)

    Skizo, glad you enjoyed the post.

    Leslie, you make my day!

    Lisa, lol.... part croc and part kangaroo I'll bet. Does he ever sit still?

    Patti, who could resist opening a wrapped surprise .... or watching someone open something you have wrapped.

    Lynne, have a look at Eva's shop. Glorious pieces there.

    Artymess, you could always come up with another oragami idea or borrow this one.

    Soraya, I'm happy to hear Tara is feeling better.

    India, curiosity got the better of me and I googled Hedi Kyle's Blizzard Book. Love the pockets!

    Weaver, are you tempted to write your poems and fold them into origami cranes?

    Heather...lol... poor beagle ears.

    Cori Lynn, I found many pieces with the folds torn open which were also intriguing but not enough space in this post.

    Thanks so much Penny.

    Lrc, I find that after the holiday season we all need a stirring up of ideas.

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  34. Createology, I kick myself for not keeping items crafted by my grandparents or other memorabilia that suddenly become fashionable. Your Grandmother's work sounds intriguing.

    Victoria, glad you enjoyed the post.

    Mansuetude, how wonderful that ideas are stirring and emerging.
    Just recently I discovered an old cookbook of my mothers filled with little pencil notes and anecdotes in the margins. Gifts indeed!
    Thanda.

    Cat, glad you enjoyed the post.

    Barry, your folded leaves come to mind too.

    Azirca, I love the word Tinctory!

    Valerianna, that's why I love Sarah Mitchell's image. It is so amazing!

    Grrl, yum yum yum .... I have to agree :-)

    Donna, your little wrapped boxes are treasures.

    Mary Helen, thank you!

    Laurie, finding and sharing beautiful art and craft is something I really enjoy.

    Elfi, enjoy!

    Ro, the blue lotus certainly catches one's attention. (Jenny Gifford is actually South Africa).

    Lisa at Greenbow, I would love to know the story behind Kwang-Young Chun's tiny parcels.

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  35. Good morning Robyn! Always a treat to find a post by you. I'm a fan of folding, unfolding, but you have such a brilliance to take it so much further and deeper than I could imagine. A wonderful sharing to enhance our lives. Happy New Year!

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  36. Thank you once again Robyn for introducing us to so many wonderful artists!!!

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  37. What a beautiful thought - setting free folded fluttering poems to the world! This is a very inspiring post to me Robyn, as my hands have been inconsistent with functioning ability I think, hmmm, folding - yes, I believe I could fold!! gorgeous choices of imagery, and poetic works - so yum. xox K
    and happy new year my friend!

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  38. incredible posting -- my sincere thanks for sharing with us. I have followed Katherine Liu Chang's work for several years -- feel as if one could sink into her canvases and collages!

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  39. What lays beneath the folds? There is such intrigue with folds and this post is just wonderful.
    Blue Lotus is just stunning and I love Eva's art at Tinctory.

    Jacky xox

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  40. for certain, ENfolding....
    ...the creative mind is _______________!!!

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  41. Fascinating pieces. Again, thanks for sourcing them all out!

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  42. Hi Robyn, once again you have inspired me incredibly with these posts and links. Thanks so much for bringing such amazing images into my life!! xoxoxoxoxo

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  43. I always thought you had to show everything on the surface; how much more intreaging to have hidden depths.

    I've got as far as a tiny flower made from discarded Bible pages for my December squares. Sad to find them discarded, glad to give them a tiny new life.

    The happiest of 2011 to you x

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  44. Robyn I thoroughly enjoy everything you share on this blog.
    I often visit, but don't always comment, but I do like it here.

    Happy New Year... and I look forward to what you have to share in the year ahead.

    Robyn

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  45. To have paper and simply fold it is not enough. One must have an imagination and the talent to see objects in different forms, to give them another meanings,to build compositions, using the deformation and re-creation... Thank you for the artists you represent, Robyn! I like Sarah Mitchell's words about the surprisingly new things that can be born in that way!

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  46. Hi R,
    A while back you requested an image from me. It's now up, over at my place.

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  47. Hello Robyn! I've stopped in fresh from hhnb's place. I look forward to exploring Art Propelled this winter (well, summer for you) and warming my hands and heart at this fireplace in the cold. Happy New Year!

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  48. Just divine Robyn,
    Always feel like being busy in the studio after reading one of your brilliant posts.
    Hope 2011 is unfolding beautifully for you!
    Sophie

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  49. Wow, you always think up delicious new posts to tempt us with Robyn. Who would have thought so much creativity and imagination could be bound up and unwound. Love it all especially Mary Bogdan. Her Flickr is wonderful. I love the thought of handmade paper cranes with poetry being spread around London. What a wonderful thing to do.

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  50. The words, "folding", "unfolding" and "enfolding", "wrapping", and "unwrapping" as well as these incredible images are such a wonderful stepping off point, stepping off, that is, into the world of creativity....kind of how I see it....to free float after stepping off the world of reality into the bliss of creativity.

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  51. An amazing collection once again...so many links, so little time...

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  52. How do you do it? Even images you've posted before still seem so fresh and unique!

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  53. My love of all things paper draws me to this artwork in a powerful way and makes me itch to go fold a book or magazine to see what emerges.

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  54. Love it all but especially the folded silk jewelery pieces - love things folded like that. So intriguing. thanks

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  55. I love folding paper - this is a stunning array of clever work - thank you so much for curating this!

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