I became really interested in folding origami last summer.  When I had the good fortune of getting to know Aki Rika (KAIR Artist 2008).

That’s when I bought my own origami paper.  Rika taught me how to fold a rose that her master, a very dear elderly lady had taught her.  From there I learnt how to make frogs, flowers, boats, whales, snails, cats, foxes, bats, butterflies and birds.  My house became littered with a paper managerie.

Then I saw the one creature I didn’t yet have. A very realistic crab, so I retured to my master.  Rika translated the kanji title of the book “Very Difficult Origami”.  We both tried to fold the crab, but we could never get past step 19 (half way).

At last the residency came to an end and Rika and the “Very Difficult Origami” book returned to Tokyo.  Leaving me with a photo copy of the crab instructions, a pile of red paper and many half completed crabs resembling various mutated larval forms.

3 months later………after a three hour folding session using extra large paper and in those famous words: “YES, I CAN”.

Rika if you fancy coming back to Kamiyama, I will teach you.