A Look Back in Time

The first form of paper was papyrus, a dried and compressed form of sliced sections of the flower stem of the papyrus flower, used for drawing and writing. Papyrus originated in Egypt in 2400 B. C. The creation of paper was in China in 105 A. D. by Ts' ai-Lun from Lei-yank, China

During the fourth century, the Chinese started cutting paper from ornamental purposes and embroidery patterns. Although, paper crafts were originally done by the royal entourage later on paper crafts became a folk art. Paper crafts were also use for practical purposes rather than just aesthetic reasons.

Years pass and the art of paper crafts spreads to the Middle East at the end of the seventh century and the beginning of the eighth century. At the end of the fifteenth century the country of Turkey had a guild created specifically for the purpose of paper crafting.  In the year of 1582 an observer reported seeing a guild member display of a garden entirely made of cut paper flower for the ruler of that time.

During the seventeenth century paper crafts reached European countries, such as : Italy, Germany, Switzerland, and Holland. By the end of the seventeenth century Germany had a popular folk art called Swiss Scherenschnitte, or "scissor cuts". Scherenschnitte is now considered one of the finest paper crafts in the word.

In the 1990s 3D origami became popularized. 300 Illegal Chinese immigrants aboard the ship "The Golden Venture" were caught on their $5,000 paid trip to America. While in prison the immigrants made beautiful paper sculptures using magazine pages and toilet paper. The pieces they created are known as "Freedom Birds". About 30 of the immigrants from the Gold Venture live in the United States today.