Steve Vinik is the oldest of four siblings. He grew up in Libertyville, Illinois, and from the age of twelve, he’s had a unique and creative relationship with origami.
During his middle school years, Steve folded paper at lunchtime in the gym. He did this to avoid being coerced into “dancing with some girl.” In High School, Steve started putting together a collection of diagrams for his own original models, including ‘My Dumb Elephant’, ‘Dinosaur’, and ‘Guitar’.
Attending Lake Forest College near Chicago, Steve turned an origami waterbomb into a poem for a Creative Writing class. He also transformed Samuel Randlett’s improved flapping bird into a magic transport for Steve’s first Super 8 movie, Bound to Fly.
While in college Steve wrote and took photographs for LFC’s newsletter and yearbook. After graduation, he worked for the college print shop developing skills that would eventually lead to a 30-year career at the Broward County public information/graphics office, in Florida.
Steve loves to teach origami, and incorporate it into various creative projects.
When he and his wife Charlotte were raising their daughters, Steve shared his love of origami with the children in models like Samurai helmet, floating boats, and fortune tellers. As a Sunday School teacher, he used origami doves, fish, and bishop hats to inspire his students.
Creative projects over the years have included:
- Origami Christmas cards
- Folding a dollar bill into a sailboat for a television commercial advertising an Indiana bank,
- Printing original origami illustrations on vinyl for car decals and t-shirts
- Two origami stories: The Adventures of Joto-Ku and The Fourth Little Pig Built a House of Paper.
- Video Projects:
- Bound To Fly (Super 8 movie)
- Steve’s ABC origami slideshow
- Folding the Yakko-san Samurai
- Double Lover’s Knot
- The Journey of Joto-Ku (Original Story)
- Fourth Little Pig Built a House of Paper (Original Story)
- Cash Flow (Commercial: Sailboat for Indiana National bank )
“I am not a technical folder. I love my simple folds, especially when combined with some illustration, photo, or text. Magic!” ~Steve Vinik
NOTE: A recording of an interview with Steve Vinik is available for Origami Spirit members >>> HERE
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Very nice. Fantastic. Thank you.