Blue Swallows, 2024

Folded paper on wood panel. This piece is composed of origami swallows. My first art commission was based on this design. My client asked for a mammoth 6ft x 7ft panel filled with origami swallows. I searched in every origami book I could find. ...

Folded paper on wood panel. This piece is composed of origami swallows. My first art commission was based on this design. My client asked for a mammoth 6ft x 7ft panel filled with origami swallows. I searched in every origami book I could find. Finally, I found a design for the Kyoto swallow. I adapted that design to give it a more 3d shape. The vibrant Chiyogami paper is hand silk-screened in Japan, and is pH neutralized by myself sheet by sheet. I use pH neutral glue and adhere to artist grade wood panels painted with a durable, acrylic paint. This piece is part of my migration series of origami assemblage. My artist statement: Andrew unearths great journeys through origami assemblage, influenced by his experience as a second generation Canadian. “We are keenly aware of our ‘otherness’, wondering if we truly belong. I fold hundreds of origami birds to honour hardships and sacrifices made by my parents’ generation. As I lay each bird in its place, I realize that the journey continues – I am still finding my way, to be accepted, by others, by myself.” The process is a cathartic, meditative practice. Always striving for perfection, taking joy in the completion of each small task, the culmination of thousands of motions to create something greater than the sum of its parts.