I was happy with my folded paper aluminium samples that I've blogged about earlier. I wanted to take the folding on a step, to create a more resolved form. Also to see how the folded paper took the metal if it was doubled over. My ideas tend to feed into each other so the 1000 boats idea naturally led to me making origami boats. They are really more aluminium sampling but the final pieces are sweet, and complete little objects in themselves. I cut them off the pouring cups and removed the sprews though I thought they had something good about them when they were unfinished and upright too.

  

So, what will happen now ? My portfolio is handed in, my show stuff mounted, but, I have two projects that I am hoping to pull together for the end of year show. The first relates to the little metal boats that I've been making. And to stories from Japan about making a thousand paper cranes. I hope, between now and the end of June, to fold the best part of a thousand paper boats. I hope that people seeing the paper boats at the show will take one or two and set them to sail in the river that floats by the art school or anywhere they like. And maybe, just maybe to make a wish while they are doing it. The boats represent me, and my fellow students, and anyone who has helped me along the way in my life, or smiled because of something that I or someone I love has done. I hope that in setting them to sail a little bit of joy will be released into the world. 
I did road test this a week or so back with my little grandchildren, and we really did have a lovely time floating our prototype boats.

I guess that as we disperse http://nua-textiles-surfacedesign.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/what-our-students-have-to-say.html into the world outside of NUA they could be new vessels for our dreams.