CITYFOLK

is an artist who works in origami, the ancient Japanese art of folding paper into intricate sculptural forms—birds, flowers, animals and complex geometric abstractions called kusudamas. Born in 1933, Sakaoka learned origami as a child from her mother, but her interest was intensified after a trip to Japan in 1978. She began creating new work and experimenting with the art form. Sakaoka has been designated a Master Artist since 1990 in the Ohio Arts Council’s Traditional Arts Apprenticeship Program, through which she has trained seven artists in the traditional techniques of origami.

Yasue Sakaoka has taught thousands of people about origami since the late 1970s through workshops, festival appearances, classes, educational programs for children such as “Days of Creation Arts for Kids” (Dublin) and “Artists-in-Schools” (Columbus) and Dublin’s annual Celebration of Japan festival. The Columbus resident has been on the faculty of Stivers School for the Arts in Dayton for nearly 20 years. In addition to keeping the old ways of origami alive, she has also expanded the horizons of the tradition with more experimental sculptural work using paper, fiber, metal, bronze casting and other materials.