Breaking the Fold: Tomoko Fusè’s Unconventional Origami:

Origami Quilts (Intermediate)

Sunday, April 26, 2026 (3:00 pm - 5:00 pm)

Instructor: Ed Coe

$40 Advanced Registration Required

Class Held at our Blacksburg Location:
860 University City Boulevard, Suite 105

Breaking the Fold

Many artists’ first experience with origami is through books centered on traditional Japanese designs. These forms—the frog, the fish, the waterbomb, and the iconic crane—are essential threads in the historical fabric of the craft. One could be forgiven, then, for viewing origami solely as an "ancient tradition" rather than a field for "modern experimentation."

And yet, in the last forty years, a new breed of origami kyōsho (maestros) has evolved: bold, unconventional, and, dare I say, more than a bit rebellious.

Tomoko Fusè

Known as the “Queen of Unit Origami,” Tomoko Fusè pioneered a revolutionary approach to the craft. Rather than folding a single sheet with increasing complexity, her modular style uses multiple sheets with relatively simple folds, which are then meticulously assembled to form a complex, structural whole.

The result is a style of origami that is visually dramatic and architectural, but uses techniques that are accessible and rewarding for artists that are new to the medium.

However, both her earliest innovations and her most recent works focus on the humble origami box. Throughout her career, Fusè has continued to re-envisions the box as a complex piece of geometric art in its own right—a sculpture that just happens to have the delightful ability to hold something inside.

Instructor: Ed Coe

Professionally, Ed is a designer, engineer, and architect who is drawn to helping creative people refine their visions and bring their ideas to life. He was born with a need to understand and make (be it music, code, or art), and his most recent years have focused on making tools to get ideas off of a screen and into people’s hands.

Before he could use a computer, though, Ed was folding—often on his lap in the back seat of the family’s club cab pickup truck. Even though photography is now his primary medium, origami has continued to be a constant companion throughout his life.

Accessibility

Origami—particularly that of Tomoko Fusè—requires both good visual acuity (at desk height) and precise finger dexterity. That being said, it’s our goal to make art fun for all; if you are feel that you might struggle to see or make creases in paper, please reach out! There are many things that can be used to aid you with folding (larger paper, instructor assistance, etc).