@mhsorigamiclub @ojasorigami @ojas_parekh_

Seeing how math appears in art or how something as basic as folding paper can pique interest in geometry or design thinking are just a few examples of the unexpected overlaps that often inspire me. When I teach origami camps, I enjoy seeing how the kids react; occasionally, their folds or concepts are more inventive than mine, which inspires me to try new things.

Through Instagram and events like the OrigamiUSA convention in New York, where I've taught a few of my own models, I draw a lot of inspiration from the origami community online. I also follow makers in related fields, such as robotics engineers, independent designers, and educators. Working with professors on a project called VisMO, which focusses on teaching visuospatial skills through origami, and introducing it to my community has been a great way to generate fresh ideas.

I share my original models, teaching highlights, and occasionally sketches of things I'm experimenting with on my Instagram account, @ojasorigami and @mhsorigamiclub, and my website, www.ojasorigami.art.

If I could create my own brand, it would focus on origami as a creative, educational, and mindfulness tool, particularly for younger students. I've already taken some steps in that direction: I've led summer camps at my local library where children learn to fold and develop their visuospatial skills, taught my own models at national conventions, and founded an origami club at my high school.

The brand would be a hybrid of a hands-on creative space and a digital learning platform, combining traditional folding with modern design. Imagine clear, easy-to-follow instructions, unique models, and narratives that relate origami to geometry, culture, and even technology (such as AI art prompts or robotics). To demonstrate how this art is both universal and individualised, it would also include voices from all over the world, including math teachers in the United States, origami artists in Japan, and children learning to fold in Indian classrooms.

I would emphasise accessibility, community, and storytelling to make it culturally relevant. I would draw attention to the ways that folding relates to heritage, identity, and learning styles while maintaining a socially friendly tone through brief videos, interactive exercises, and even partnerships with educators or creatives outside of the typical origami community. I believe that folding a crane and comprehending the math or meaning behind it can be surprisingly powerful in a world where people's attention is divided among a million other things.