Gallery Lane Cove in partnership with Lane Cove Council
Kids and Grandparents Paper Folding Workshops
2017

Gallery Lane Cove in partnership with Lane Cove council funded last Fridays free school holiday workshop introducing the young and old to basic paper folding techniques. In the two hour workshops participants successfully completed circle bunting, cubes and magic circles.

Paper folding is one avenue that provides both mental and physical stimulus. It helps develop hand-eye coordination, fine motor skills and mental concentration. Use of the hands directly stimulates areas of the brain resulting in it being used throughout various therapeutic settings, including art therapy and in stroke and injury rehabilitation.

Paper folding challenges us at the cognitive level as we follow instructions, learning new skills and activities. Physically our hands become active. Impulses are sent to the brain activating both left and right hemispheres. Tactile, motor and visual areas of the brain are activated and brought into use. Memory, non-verbal thinking, attention, 3D comprehension and imagination are further stimulated by the brain’s exploration of paper folding.

Emotional satisfaction is a byproduct of the artwork as we watch each piece of paper transform into a new creation. All works are created using recycled materials making the exercise not only environmentally friendly, but also challenging our idea of what art can be and what it can be made out of.