Michael g lafosse biography sampler

Master origami artist Michael LaFosse was just beginning a stint as “artist-in-residence” at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in Tucson. Education staff connected us because of our mutual interests: I had taught Japanese and Western papermaking from plant fibers at the museum on several occasions.

Michael’s unique proposal, to study the Sonoran Desert plants and animals, and then design origami renditions of them in his own handmade paper, was intriguing to me. A quick drive over the Tucson Mountains and I was soon listening to his wonderfu