Last Saturday a nice crowd joined me for a short accordion workshop, the first of what I hope will be a few months of these free, mini workshops to give us all some more practice with accordion folds.
The time was so short and it went so fast that it almost seemed like it didn’t happen at all. But I know it happened, mostly because I received some sweet notes, and even some photos afterwards.
Next session will be building upon this past one, so if you plan to come, and you missed out, take a look at the handout above.
This Saturday will be the same time -4 pm EST-, same zoom link as last week. I will show up about 10 minutes early if anyone want to chat, then by 2 minutes after the hour, demonstration starts, then zoom kicks us out at 30 minutes after the hour.
Paula Krieg is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
I celebrated by inviting whoever wanted to show up to join me for some folding. Thirty-eight people came, from Susan in Alaska, where is was five degrees below zero, to a lovely woman from the Southern US, where it was 95 degrees, and Canada to Florida, and even a night owl from the UK.
We made little accordion books. It went just as planned. People showed up early, we chatted, I started a demonstration two minutest after the hour, opened the mics for questions, then I slowed down and taught this sweet simple structure slowly. The last 10 minutes people asked all sorts of questions.
And then we were done.
I will be doing this again next Saturday, same time, same zoom link, different accordion variation.
Am hoping that, again, people will show up early and show off what they made from this week. Then we’ll get to work.
After teaching paper and book arts for several decades I’m confronting the fact that I have a pedagogical blind spot. It has to do with folding paper back and forth to make an accordion.
Accordion Crowd
My blind spot is that I expect that all adults can fold paper accordion-style, then create variations with the structure.
My bad assumptions in this area are aided and abetted by people who, when asked, “Are you comfortable with folding an accordion?” say yes. I believe them. Trouble follows.
The thing is, being fluent with making accordions, then being fluid in ways of using them, is the foundation for countless, endless, infinite varieties of projects.
I need to get a grip. Either I stop assuming everyone understands accordions, or I change the world.
I choose the second option.
Until further notice, Starting on Saturday, November 20, 2021, at 4pm EST I will teach free weekly short zoom classes dedicated to showing how to fold an accordion and present ways of using it.
My plan is to begin 2 minutes after the hour, teach for 18 minutes, then have some wiggle time.
I don’t have a paid zoom account so we all get kicked off after 30 minutes. My thought is to keep doing these meeting for three months, then reevaluate.
Beyond Zhen Xian Bao
Each week will start the same, with folding a simple accordion, followed by a variation. I will show new things, and I will repeat things. These will be working sessions. Sometimes I will repeat things too much and it will be boring. Good. Learn this so well it becomes boring.
Bring a few sheets of copy paper
Scissors, pencil, glue stick, and ruler may or may not be needed. Have them nearby.
Show up five to ten minutes early for chatting.
Don’t look for recordings. There will be none.
No sessions Christmas or New Years day, but something(s?) during Christmas week
Vertical Reflection, Linked Paper Dolls
Some weeks I may have to change the time. The best way to keep track of any changes will be to check my twitter profile https://twitter.com/PaulaKrieg I will keep a tweet pinned to the top so changes will be easy to find. You don’t need a twitter account to look.
Last spring I taught a pleating class at Center for Book Arts. The timing was interesting in that the warm weather was coming, and people who had been home bound due to Covid concerns began to venture out. One of my pleaters, Barbara, went to visit family. Along the way she collected paper items, such travel brochures, and transformed them with folds.
Pleating at the Blue Pig Tavern side detail
I don’t get out much. Covid is increasing in the area that I live in. My county has one of the lowest vaccinations rates around. But I do get out some…and when I do, I try to remember to pick up something to fold.
A few months ago, I had breakfast out with friends in Ridgewood, New Jersey. I pleated the placement. The waitress loved what I did so much that I gave it her. She said she wanted to share it with her mother. I didn’t take a photo.
Pleating at the Blue Pig Tavern top detail
About two weeks ago my older sister invited friends and family to a post-wedding morning breakfast at the fabulous Blue Pig Tavern in Cape May, NJ. A nice crowd of us sat at a long table, still winding down from the night before. My younger sister was at my end of the table, as were other guests, including one of my older sister’s best friends from high school, who is the gloriously talented artist, Coral Bourgeois. As my little family and I left to start the long drive home, I asked Coral if I could have her placemat.
Placemat Pleating, view from above
In all, I was able to walk away with three placemats. Mine, Bri’s and Coral’s. I knew I’d be doing some pleating, so even though it’s kind of weird to slyly inspect people’s placemats to determine if they have eaten neatly enough, I wasn’t going to risk having just one piece of paper to work with.
Placemat Pleating, base detail
Good thing I had three. It’s taken me a few false starts to make something that I liked. I just kept refolding one of the placements (which eventually tore in many places, had to be repaired, and is on the backside of this folded item) until I was sure of how to proceed. Having three of them took all the pressure away. You see, I wanted to make this for my Instagram page so I could tag Coral. It was so nice to connect with her, and I wanted some continuance.
This pleating was inspired by my class participant (and now friend) Barbara. My daughter did something else that weekend which I also had to join in on. During a beach walk, she collected and arranged shells.
I followed suit, thinking about waves. Sine waves…
Waves
She and I had time to make our shell masterpieces, as my son John and his sweetheart, Bri, just enjoyed the beauty of the ocean in autumn.
I love the idea of site specific work. It was great to actually go somewhere and dip my toes ever so lightly into working this way again.
Playful Bookbinding and Paper Works 