Florence Maria Temko (October 20, 1921 – November 12, 2009), a pioneer in spreading

origami ) is the Japanese art of paper folding. In modern usage, the word "origami" is often used as an inclusive term for all folding practices, regardless of their culture of origin. The goal is to transform a flat square sheet of paper into a ...

in the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

, was perhaps the most prolific author on this subject. With fifty-five books to her credit on paper arts and folk crafts, she was a strong influence on interested beginners in the art of paperfolding. Some of them later developed complex origami designs previously unimaginable and applied their expertise into advanced innovations in the fields of art and science.

Early life

She was born Florence Maria Marx, in London, the daughter of Erich and Erna Marx. She studied at

Wycombe Abbey Wycombe Abbey is a Private schools in the United Kingdom, private girls' boarding and day school in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England. The school was founded in 1896 by Dame Frances Dove (1847–1942), who was previously headmistress of ...

, St. George's Business College and the

London School of Economics The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), established in 1895, is a public research university in London, England, and a member institution of the University of London. The school specialises in the social sciences. Founded ...

, but her education was interrupted by World War II. She also studied at the New School for Social Research in New York.

Personal life

She met US Army Sergeant Leonard Temko, and they married in 1945. In 1946, they settled in New Jersey and had three children: Joan A Temko, and twins Stephen Temko and Ronald Temko. They divorced in 1968, and she married her second husband Henry Petzel in 1969. In 1982, they moved to San Diego, and divorced in the late 1990s.

Later work

In the

, the term

kirigami is a variation of origami, the Japanese art of folding paper. In , the paper is cut as well as being folded, resulting in a three-dimensional design that stands away from the page. typically does not use glue. Overview In the United States, t ...

was coined by Temko from

Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture ** Japanese diaspor ...

, , and , , in the title of her 1962 book, '', the Creative Art of Paper cutting''. The book achieved enough success that the word was accepted as the Western name for the art of paper cutting. Temko’s credits include audience participating lectures and workshops at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She made two films for The National Film Board of Canada and BFA Educational Films. Florence authored 12 craft books including, in cooperation with the U.S. Committee for UNICEF, the book ''Folk Crafts For World Friendship'' (1976, illustrated by Yaroslava Surmach Mills) which describes crafts from many nations, including the craft's origin, customs relating to the craft and step-by-step instructions. Her involvement as a consultant to the

Mingei International Museum Mingei International Museum is a non-profit public institution in Balboa Park in San Diego, California, that collects, conserves and exhibits folk art, craft, and design. The museum was founded in 1974, and its building opened in 1978. The word ' ...

San Diego, California San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...

, resulted in the mounting of the "Masterworks of Origami" exhibition there in 2003. Other museums in the United States and other countries subsequently recognized origami as an art form and set up their own exhibitions. Her books continue to circulate well, especially in libraries, because readers find they can follow the clear step-by-step directions easily and there are various levels of complexity presented in each book. Among the many original origami designs created by her are some of the most popular: Rooster, Penguin, Star Bowl, Squawker Action Toy, Mortar Board Graduation Hat, Thanksgiving Turkey, and the Zig-Zag Sculpture. She died on November 12, 2009, at her home in La Jolla, California.

References

External links

*https://web.archive.org/web/20091028021308/http://www.bloominxpressions.com/origami.htm *http://www.origami-resource-center.com/Temko-Index.html *http://www.origami-usa.org/
Sign On San Diego obituaryTimes, London obituary
{{DEFAULTSORT:Temko, Florence 1921 births 2009 deaths Origami artists Writers from London People educated at Wycombe Abbey British emigrants to the United States