Name/Title
171, Katie Stahl, Blessing GardenTags
#Description
---- Blessing Garden is a 2002 Ford Explorer covered in 3-inch square pieces of origami paper. The most prevalent type of paper on BG is Yuzen or Chiyogami paper. Yuzen patterns were originally designed for the textile industry in Kyoto where the production of cloth for kimonos reached its zenith. Yuzen designs were very elaborate, and included a lot of gold.
Chiyogami is a specific word developed to describe the graphic, repetitive designs applied to paper in the Edo period. Originally these patterns were printed by woodblock for use in paper doll and small accessory making. In the twentieth century, these patterns began to be applied using silkscreens and this continues today. Today, as Yuzen textile patterns join the traditional Chiyogami ones on paper, both terms are used interchangeably.
I started decoupaging BG in 2015 and she entered her first Houston Art Car parade in 2016. She has been in several Houston Art Car Parades and a few Trinidad, Colorado, Artocade parades. Last year I decided to recover her after the paper had faded after 8 years.---- Before beginning BG I had always wanted to create an art car. Many of my friends drive art cars and I had participated in parades in prior years as a passenger or, in one case, a dancer in a naval uniform. I also love to craft and I have always been in love with all things Japanese, especially origami paper. I made stationary, art pieces, and covered boxes as gifts for friends by decoupaging with origami paper. When it came time to choose what to do to BG to make her into an art car, the choice was easy.
BG’s name comes from my first Japanese teacher- Reed-sensei. She taught me high school Japanese for two years. When we first started class she chose characters for our names and my name, Katie, was represented by the characters for “blessing” and “garden” as those characters make the sounds “Kay-ee-tay-ee”.
This time around, BG took overall at least 30 hours if not more. First we sanded and painted with primer, then we painted all her gold trim. We then decoupaged with 1Shot clear enamel. I spent many hours with the help of friends and especially my boyfriend Jeffrey placing the papers and taping the edges with washi tape. Finally, I coated her in enamel and then added the origami on the back.