Origami Page:
Year of the Dog: Puppy

Mary Ellen Palmeri

Welcome to our 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.

Click for printable file.

I created this cute little puppy to use as a Valentine because it is easy to attach a heart in its mouth. Sometimes I put a heart on its chest instead. It is fun to decorate this origami in a variety of ways, either by drawing on details or attaching other elements to the finished model, like google eyes and/or a personal message.

When I discovered that the "Year of the Dog" begins this month, I realized my model is also great for use in birthday messages to persons born in a Year of the Dog. There are charts on-line that show when each year begins and ends, as they do not exactly follow our Western calendar.

This year February 16th begins a Year of the Dog. In Chinese astrology, each year is related to zodiac animals according to a 12-year cycle. 2018 is the eleventh year in the cycle, and considered an Earth Dog Year. Dog is the symbol of loyalty and honesty. According to tradition, people born in the Year of the Dog possess the best traits of human nature. They are honest, friendly, faithful, loyal, smart, straightforward, venerable and have a strong sense of responsibility. These traits are commonly found in many pet dogs!

If you are born in a Dog year, the following are deemed lucky for you: Lucky numbers: 3,4,9. Lucky colors: red, green, and purple. Lucky flowers: rose and cymbidium orchids.

Some well known public figures born in a Year of the Dog: Winston Churchill (1874) - Mother Teresa (1910) - Elvis Presley (1935) - Bill Clinton (1946) - George W. Bush (1946) - Steven Spielberg (1946) - Madonna (1958) - Michael Jackson (1958) - Justin Bieber (1994)

Happy Folding!

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

All of her Paper Dream Paintings can be seen in her Etsy shop where custom matted art prints of her original work can be purchased. Go to: www.etsy.com/shop/LyricFineArts

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