Michael Shall
Encyclopedia
Michael Shall was a teacher, practitioner, and promoter of origami
(paper folding). He helped launch one of the largest American
origami organizations, OrigamiUSA
, in 1980.
. He was the youngest son of Tillie and Herman Shall, who taught his sons paperfolding. Michael Shall graduated from Lycoming College
in Williamsport, Pennsylvania
and taught high school English before moving to New York City
in 1974 to try to make a living as an origami professional. Along with his mentor and colleague, Alice Gray, Shall is noted for his creation of Holiday/Christmas trees bedecked with origami. One of the best-known origami designs by Shall is his "Shining Alice", an eight-pointed star named in honor of Alice Gray. Shall is the author of the book Teaching Origami
A history of the OrigamiUSA convention, which was started by Shall, describes him as a fine teacher and leader, resourceful, hospitable, energetic to the point of seeming hyperactive, but a poor planner. On one occasion, for example, he arranged for coffee cups and a coffee urn for the convention, but forgot the coffee.
In addition to teaching origami at The American Museum of Natural History
in New York and the Smithsonian Institution
in Washington, D.C.
, Shall "showed his dedication to spreading the magic found in a single sheet of paper by teaching in virtually every public library and countless schools in the New York City area."
Shall died on February 9, 1995, at New York University Medical Center, from complications of AIDS
. He is memorialized on a panel on block 04241 of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt
. The newsletter of OrigamiUSA for Summer, 1995, features 26 tribute articles dedicated to Shall. The organization created the Michael Shall Volunteer Recognition Award in 1995 to honor Shall and to recognize volunteers for extraordinary service to OrigamiUSA. A fund named after Shall provides origami paper for public projects, such as teaching origami at a senior center, or supporting a high school club on Long Island, NY as it folded Origami cranes for a local hospital. The 1995 OrigamiUSA convention was dedicated to Shall.
Origami
is the traditional Japanese art of paper folding, which started in the 17th century AD at the latest and was popularized outside Japan in the mid-1900s. It has since then evolved into a modern art form...
(paper folding). He helped launch one of the largest American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
origami organizations, OrigamiUSA
OrigamiUSA
OrigamiUSA is the largest origami organization in the United States, with offices located at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. It was founded in 1980 by Michael Shall, Alice Gray, and Lillian Oppenheimer as the Friends of the Origami Center of America...
, in 1980.
Life
Shall was born in 1949 and grew up in Carlisle, PennsylvaniaCarlisle, Pennsylvania
Carlisle is a borough in and the county seat of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The name is traditionally pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2010 census, the borough...
. He was the youngest son of Tillie and Herman Shall, who taught his sons paperfolding. Michael Shall graduated from Lycoming College
Lycoming College
Founded in 1812, Lycoming College is located in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. One of the 50 oldest colleges in America, Lycoming enrolls 1400 undergraduate students from over 28 states and 12 foreign countries. Eighty percent of the college's students live on campus...
in Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Williamsport is a city in and the county seat of Lycoming County, Pennsylvania in the United States. In 2009, the population was estimated at 29,304...
and taught high school English before moving to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1974 to try to make a living as an origami professional. Along with his mentor and colleague, Alice Gray, Shall is noted for his creation of Holiday/Christmas trees bedecked with origami. One of the best-known origami designs by Shall is his "Shining Alice", an eight-pointed star named in honor of Alice Gray. Shall is the author of the book Teaching Origami
A history of the OrigamiUSA convention, which was started by Shall, describes him as a fine teacher and leader, resourceful, hospitable, energetic to the point of seeming hyperactive, but a poor planner. On one occasion, for example, he arranged for coffee cups and a coffee urn for the convention, but forgot the coffee.
In addition to teaching origami at The American Museum of Natural History
American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History , located on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, United States, is one of the largest and most celebrated museums in the world...
in New York and the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, Shall "showed his dedication to spreading the magic found in a single sheet of paper by teaching in virtually every public library and countless schools in the New York City area."
Shall died on February 9, 1995, at New York University Medical Center, from complications of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. He is memorialized on a panel on block 04241 of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt
NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt
The NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt, often abbreviated to AIDS Memorial Quilt, is an enormous quilt made as a memorial to and celebration of the lives of people who have died of AIDS-related causes...
. The newsletter of OrigamiUSA for Summer, 1995, features 26 tribute articles dedicated to Shall. The organization created the Michael Shall Volunteer Recognition Award in 1995 to honor Shall and to recognize volunteers for extraordinary service to OrigamiUSA. A fund named after Shall provides origami paper for public projects, such as teaching origami at a senior center, or supporting a high school club on Long Island, NY as it folded Origami cranes for a local hospital. The 1995 OrigamiUSA convention was dedicated to Shall.