Origami Page;
The Folded Turkey

Mary Ellen Palmeri

Introducing a new feature, a monthly "Origami Page". Origami is folding paper and ending up with delightful figures and models, such as flowers, boxes and animals. This feature will showcase a different origami model in each monthly issue, with diagrams and photos to help readers learn how to fold them. Most models use one square of paper, some use a rectangle, and others use more than one piece of paper.

Photo by Mary Ellen Palmeri

Celebrating Thanksgiving in November has been an annual tradition in the United States since Abraham Lincoln's presidential proclamation in 1863.  Typically a turkey is the staple of Thanksgiving dinner.  This custom originated because this bird is native to North America and was abundant for our early settlers.

This paper folded turkey was created by transforming the traditional origami swan into a turkey.  The major difference comes from adding 'tail feathers' by cutting a slit in the body, and folding a second piece of paper to insert for a tail fan.

This model looks best of you use colorful paper for the fan tail.  If you don't have colorful origami paper, try folding a piece of gift wrap cut to size, or even a colorful magazine page.  You can even color a plain piece of paper with crayons, colored pencils or markers. 

This little origami turkey could be fun to use as a table decoration for each person at a holiday meal.  Enjoy!

Click for printable PDF file.

Origami originated in ancient Asian cultures and has been adapted by contemporary artists worldwide to reflect their own cultures. Local artist Mary Ellen Palmeri has incorporated paper folding into many of her mixed media art paintings, and teaches origami classes locally and nationally. Some of her work can be seen in a Tucson Happenings feature here: Artist_Profile

Ms. Palmeri's original origami models have been published in books and magazines, she has been featured on broadcast media, and her mixed-media fine art works often include various original origami models. Origami LAFF (Lyric Arts Folding Fest) is a Tucson based club founded by Ms. Palmeri to provide a venue for sharing this art. The group meets monthly at a local library; for more details please contact the artist at info@lyric-arts.com

Click for printable PDF file.