Paper Artist Creates Elaborate Origami Crane Every Day for 1,000 Days and Counting

December 8, 2017

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In early 2015, paper artist Cristian Marianciuc challenged himself to make an origami crane every day for a year. Using a paper bird as a blank canvas, Marianciuc would add various colors and embellishments as a way to express himself. “I describe my day through colors, shadows and everything that surrounds me,” he explains. 365 paper birds later, he loved the ancient art of paper folding so much that he decided to keep going.

Now, he’s amassed a colossal flock of over 1,000 origami creations, ranging from understated, minimalist beauties to avant-garde masterpieces. Marianciuc’s adornments include intricate paper-cut feathers, pressed flowers and leaves, stitching, beading, and some even have tiny paper architecture balanced on their wings.

Every origami crane is a translation of Marianciuc’s daily feelings, experiences, and memories. One particular flower-covered crane captures scenes from childhood. “It smells like the family picnics we used to go on almost yearly in May, in the mountains. The mint flowers infuse it and reminds me of a steaming cup of mint tea with lemon and honey in January,” Marianciuc writes. Referring to a plain white crane with intricately-cut wings the artist says, “Today, silence seems appropriate. For no particular reason other than the fact that the sky is grey and autumn is creeping up in my bones and heart – in the best way possible!”

You can find more of Marianciuc’s paper cranes on Instagram and shop his creations on Etsy.