Sara Gradual | Equanimity

Sara Gradual, Equanimity, quilling and origami of fabric canvas, 10x20 in.

INSPIRATION

“The quiet strength of many parts becoming one whole. It is the rhythmic breath between the paper’s edge and the final form; a composure that does not flee from the storm, but rather, transforms the wind into the very thing that carries us home.”

My inspiration for this piece stems from a 2020 Senbaruzu project with my Unitarian Universalist youth group.

Using standard, preprinted 6x6 origami paper, we inscribed each square with a wish for those in our direct and larger communities. When the world changed that spring, the project became a sanctuary and meditation for me. I wrote wishes and folded birds while processing all that was going on in the world. Over time, I started appreciating not just the spiritual beauty of the origami cranes, but the artistic beauty as well. I began experimenting scaling down the size and scaling up the soul of the materials. Instead of using standard sizes and preprinted papers, I began painting my own paper and looking into other materials and mediums.

I try to include upcycling and sustainability in my work as much as possible. As a seamstress and vendor, I repurpose newspaper, packing paper, and scrap fabric; hand-painting and sealing each sheet before folding. Additionally, I often breathe new life into “imperfect” canvases from fellow artists, embracing the challenge of collaboration through time, while integrating some of their original colors and brushwork into my designs. Due to materials, time and quantity, I am no longer able to write a wish word inside every crane—though every piece does contain a few. But the original intention remains with each piece named for the dream of global peace and human dignity—and hope alive in every fold.

What began as a collective meditation on community wishes evolved into a personal sanctuary. As the world shifted, the repetitive act of folding became a way to process global upheaval, eventually leading me to "scale up the soul" of my materials—moving from pre-printed paper to hand-painted, upcycled textiles and scrap paper.

This piece relates to the theme "Revealing our Magnificence" through the alchemical process of transformation. By utilizing "imperfect" canvases from fellow artists and repurposing discarded packing paper, I am revealing the inherent splendor in the overlooked and the mundane.

The work mirrors the journey of many women artists: we often carry our creative power in quiet, folded-in spaces. To "unfold" these materials into a soaring flock is to manifest the hidden brilliance within us all. It is a wish for the viewer to recognize that magnificence is not found in being "flawless," but in the resilience and grace required to rise from the churn of life’s waves.

ARTIST STATEMENT
I come from a line of makers. My practice is rooted in the legacy of my mother, a Smithsonian-featured artist, and my grandmother, a professional seamstress. For years, I applied my degree in Visual Communications to a corporate career in fabrication and project management, but my hands always craved the tactile nature of fiber and paper.

My current work evolved from a 2020 community project folding Senbazuru (one thousand origami cranes) at my Unitarian Universalist church. What began as a collective prayer for the world became my personal sanctuary. Today, I scale "up the soul" of my materials by blending the ancient traditions of origami and quilling with modern sustainability. I primarily use upcycled newspaper, packing paper, and scrap fabric—hand-painting and sealing each sheet before the first fold is made. I often build upon "imperfect" canvases from fellow artists, embracing a silent, cross-time collaboration. While I can no longer scribe a wish inside every crane, a few hidden intentions remain tucked within each piece, keeping the hope for global peace and human dignity alive in every fold.