Thursday, March 01, 2007

Memories on a Convention at the end of the world II



One of the things you can experience in a Convention is the learning of bad news. If you practice this handcraft as a self-made and lonely activity, it can pass six or seven years since the death of one of your fauvorite creators. It is so sad and simple, the way somebody simply sais it in a corridor.
Perry Bailey's creations are remarkable because their simplicity and strenght; he died on April 6 of 2000 in a home accident. I use to imagine himself with those characteristics, simple, clear, kind and enthusiastic (a visit to his web site was enough to confirm that, site no longer active, sadly).
I've learn to fold with his figures. His "simple" sorcerer was the first model I've memorized, long years ago; was also the first and single figure I've modified to get a personnel creation. Some time after I folded his funny "Odd duck" (which until today makes me feel good). And finally I discovered (and get into my blood) his astonishing squirrell, no challenged until today: simple, solid, gorgeus, expresive, simply the perfect origami model.

I don't have an account on how many times I've folded it. Perry Bailey's squirrells are spread all over the world, all the places I've put my foot on: China, Italy, New York, Buenos Aires, in a hall in the vatican museum, in a bar in Budapest; in every place and time this figure fits perfectly, producing amazement, astonishment and excitement.


I hope to make a propper tribute to him with this simple words. I'm putting here my own version of an Arlequin, based on his sorcerer, which also came from a John Montroll's model (as Bailey says in the beggining of the diagram).





No comments: