After the COVID-19 pandemic came to Tucson in March 2020, the Tucson Origami Club briefly stopped meeting for a few months. They resumed folding origami at Dao’s Tai Pan restaurant, 446 N. Wilmot Rd. in June 2020 and have been meeting ever since, but with reduced attendance due to the pandemic.
Their monthly folding sessions for all ages is on the first Saturday of the month, at 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.. Some participants stay for Vietnamese lunch (at their own expense) after the folding instructions and activity. The group was founded several years ago by M. Fumie Craig, a founding member of the SAJCC Council.
Next folding sessions are Saturdays July 3, August 7, September 4, 2021.
Japanese born artist Momoka Okada has several art pieces at a show entitled “Emergence” at Untitled Gallery, 101 W. 6th St., Suite 121 in Tucson, Arizona. She is a “mixed-media surrealist sculptor and metalsmith”.
The gallery is located west of Stone Avenue, and is open Saturdays 12 to 5 p.m.
The exhibit opened on April 3, and will close on June 5, 2021.
Momoko Okada, courtesy of the artist
Artist’s bio:
“I was born and raised on a dairy farm in Hokkaido, Japan. My life on the farm with animals and surrounded by the untouched nature is all philosophically essential to my creation and ambition.
My work is about coexistence and energy between human, nature and animals. Most of us walk through life half asleep and forget to pay attention to our surroundings not only nature but also relationship with others and environment that we are in. I would like my audience to realize the harmonious energy flow between them and my creation, nature, others, and environment, and rethink what they can contribute. It could be a crescent moon in an evening or someone who smiled at you on the sidewalk or bird singing on a tree, realizing that you have wonderful energy to share with and to be part of the life’s rhythm composition. I do not have the power to stop a war or global warming, but instead of fighting to stop something, I believe that contribution of our individual positive energy can create something powerful in which we never imagined. Sharing our energy to create harmony–that is my idea of symbiotic peace. It is my responsibility as an artist to contribute my creations and energy to transform this precious place, just as nature gives and accepts effortlessly.”
Radix table, of recycled steel and wood, courtesy of the artistCombined art, “Blue organism” on top, courtesy of the artist,
“Join us for our last evenings of the season when Yume puts on its most beautiful luminous garments.The stroll through the glowing lights of lanterns and candles is absolutely magical.Paul Amiel of Tucson’s Empty Bamboo Shakuhachi Circle will perform evocative music on the harp and on the shakuhachi (Japanese bamboo flute) for an evening to remember.On this occasion, Yume’s “The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō” Exhibit will be open to the public.The participation in this event will be scheduled in two 1-hour time slots (6:30pm-7:30pm OR 7:30pm-8:30pm) to guarantee social distancing to our visitors.Advanced ticket reservation is required. This is a limited admission event.Admission Tickets: Adults: $16 Members: $10 Children age 3-15: $5″
“Join us to celebrate the Japanese national holiday of Children’s Day at Yume Gardens.
Children’s Day falls annually on May 5 when Japanese families celebrate the healthy growth and happiness of their children.
The event will feature Taiko Drum performance by Ken Koshio (Taiko drumming, Folk music artist and singer/songwriter), kamishibai storytelling, origami, fan (uchiwa)/lantern painting, and much more!
The participation in this event will be scheduled in increments of 2 hour per time slot (10:00am-12:00pm OR 12:00pm-2:00pm) to guarantee social distancing to our visitors.”
Last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this annual doll exhibit at the Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures was cancelled. It’s back this year, started up on April 7 and will continue to May 16, 2021.
April 7, 2021 – May 16, 2021, Mini Time Museum of Miniatures at 4455 E. Camp Lowell Drive, west of Swan Rd.
“Tango no Sekku or Children’s Day is a Japanese national holiday celebrating the healthy growth and development of children, especially boys. The purpose of the holiday is to encourage children to grow to be strong leaders and powerful individuals. Celebrated on May 5th, Children’s Day became a national holiday in 1948. Prior to that time many people celebrated May 5th as Boys’ Day. In celebration of the holiday schools have the day off and many families plan outings to fun places like amusement parks. Preceding Children’s Day is Girls’ Day. There are many comparable traditions between the two celebrations, such as setting up a tiered display of traditionally dressed dolls and accessories. These traditional displays of figures and other objects are called Musha Ningyo.
The Children’s Day Display at The Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures dates to the mid-20th century and was donated to the museum in 2014 by Nancy Phillips.”
