John Tutchings

When I was about 11 years old I watched a series of day time shows by Robert Harbin where he would take a piece of paper, make some folds and as if by magic there was a model of a bird that flapped its wings. I tried following him but he was a little too quick for me and the video recorder hadn’t been invented then, but it didn’t put me off having a square of paper ready for when the show started. Then when I was down town with my mum one day I saw his book paper back book Origami and pestered my mum in to buying it for me. She was only too pleased to, because of course it is something constructive. Her only concern was if I could follow the instructions. Several sheets of wasted paper or origami snow balls later I was off working my way through the book. Christmas presents were easy for after this, one origami book and a ream of A4 paper and I was fixed for the holiday. Disappearing into the other room to reappear with a some kind of animal or a flower even a Queen Anne Table all made of paper. The whole family would then have to say how good it looked, even if they had no idea what it was meant to be.