The Folded Pleat: A creative play lab Darryl Bedford
Event details
Unlock the structural magic of the humble pleat.
Join Kirigami artist and educator Darryl Bedford for an immersive, hands-on session dedicated to the art of pleated paper. Far from being just a simple fold, the pleat is a building block of design, capable of transforming a flat sheet into complex, sculptural forms.
With over 30 years of experience, Darryl’s teaching philosophy centres on ‘creative play’ - a guided process of discovery where making mistakes is encouraged and manipulating materials leads to surprising innovations.
At this workshop, you’ll journey from the historical parlour tricks of the 18th century to modern engineering concepts like living hinges. You’ll master the rhythm of the mountain and valley, experiment with the ‘pull and pop’ technique, and introduce cuts to alter flexibility. More than just learning technique, you’ll engage in a generated ‘what if?’ play session designed to ignite curiosity and spark fresh ideas for your artistic practice.
Come for the folding, stay for the discovery.
Designed for adults - open to ages 11+.
This event is presented by the British Origami Society.
Image credit: Darryl Bedford
About the speaker
Darryl Bedford is an artist who proves that a simple sheet of paper can hold infinite potential. Based in London, he is best known for his ‘Drawstring Origami’ technique - a fusion of ancient craft and modern laser-cutting technology that turns paper into flexible, fabric-like surfaces. Darryl’s work operates at the intersection of art, science and wellbeing. Originally turning to paper folding as a therapeutic tool to navigate grief, he has since expanded his practice into the cutting edge of science and design. His fascination with the geometry of microscopic sea creatures and tessellated forms has led to collaborations in Soft Robotics with the University of Southern Denmark and a celebrated runway showcase at London Fashion Week 2025. A neurodivergent designer who champions learning through making, Darryl invites audiences to look beyond the fold to see how patience, mathematics, and creativity can solve modern human problems. You can follow his experiments and tutorials on Instagram and YouTube at @vectoriseart.
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