Oregon Culture Keepers Roster Menu

Yuki Martin (Washougal, WA/Portland, OR) was born and raised in Japan.  She began practicing origami, the Japanese art of paper folding, in preschool. Like most Japanese children, Yuki learned basic origami techniques as a method to refine fine motor skills and connect with others.

Her interest in origami grew as an adult, evolving into a full career as an origami artist, instructor, and writer. Origami is a metamorphic art form that requires no tools with some exceptions of bone folders, tweezers, scoring tools, paper clips, etc. for certain occasions. Some origami folders are purists and despise use of anything but paper. Yuki is not a purist but prefers to minimize use of tools in her practice.

Since 2007, Yuki has taught, demonstrated, and presented origami at numerous schools, libraries, camps, art organizations, elder-care facilities, correctional facilities, and events throughout Oregon and Washington. Her work has been featured at the Oregon Zoo, Oregon Historical Society, Portland Japanese Garden, Portland Art Museum, and on OPB’s Oregon Art Beat.

Yuki is an active member of the national origami society, OrigamiUSA, as well as its Portland chapter origami group, Portland Oregon Paper Shapers (POPS). As an OrigamiUSA member Yuki has written numerous articles, served as a Japanese/English translator, and served as a local lead organizer for the 2019 Pacific Coast OrigamiUSA Convention. She is also the author of Super Cute Origami Kit: Kawaii Paper Projects You Can Decorate in Thousands of Ways!, which won the 2019 Moonbeam Children’s Book Award Bronze Medal.

Yuki’s motto is, “Origami is for anyone, anywhere, anytime.” She strives to make the art form accessible to all ages and locations.