Who are you and what do you do?
My name is Kannika and I am a full-time artist and part-time RN. During the pandemic, I needed a way to decompress from my day job as a nurse. I turned my frustrations and stress into an energy that would power my art. Last year, at the encouragement of my coworkers, I took the origami I was making as a stress reliever and turned the simple paper creations into beautiful jewelry that people can wear and gift to bring joy to others. Now, I travel across the country sharing what started from a place of despair into art that is powerful yet delicate; so that people can experience and share the delight I found in the simple and ancient art of origami.
What has been your favorite moment since creating your business?
I have had more than my share of memorable moments in the short time since I transformed my personal art into a business. As a non-native speaker, I can be a bit shy when speaking yet I have been interviewed by multiple TV stations and featured online and in broadcast media. I have won numerous awards at shows. But my favorite moment, that is much more valuable to me, is meeting the caregiver of a cancer patient at the Mayo Clinic who told me my art would bring them so much joy. The origami crane represents longevity and hope. Hearing the appreciation for my origami touched me deeply. I now know that even in the darkest days art can change how we see the world.
How does the city you live in influence your work?
My origami art didn’t start from where I am, but it really came from who I became and where I came from. The journey that led me to Hudson, Wisconsin and to eventually making art full-time took over 40 years. It started being out being unable to afford toys as a child in Bangkok, Thailand and learning to fold paper as my ancestors did. It traveled to a foreign land putting myself through nursing school and into a family living in a bucolic river city where art is often a way of life. Through an unprecedented pandemic, social unrest, and rioting around my hospital in Minneapolis, my art came as a response to who I am and the journey I have lived.
What is the latest thing you have been working on?
Origami is such a versatile art form. I love the way it allows me to imagine and create pieces of art that are truly unique and yet easily appreciated. Since I married over twenty years ago, as a family tradition each year we add ornaments of special meaning to our Christmas tree. This year, I’m starting to take that tradition in a new direction by creating one-of-a-kind swan origami ornaments. The swan is encased in a timeless winter scene by a glass ball. My dream is that these ornaments become a part of other families’ traditions.
What do your customers love most about your product(s)?
Love at first sight may be rare. Yet when potential customers first see my art, you can see in their eyes and in their faces and movements the unmistakable signs of love. After being smitten from afar they come in to truly admire the beauty of my origami. Often the first words they say to me, while not letting their gaze drift from the art, are about the love they feel. They’ll remark on the form, function, colors and delicacy that drew them in. My customers love the many forms that origami can take to become an expression of beauty for them.
Origami By Kannika