Jane’s notes: I’ve been a fan of Rui Roda’s Elephant for Barth ever since Gay Merrill Gross introduced it to me in 2014. Gay folded it from a square cut from a security envelope, and she attached a paperclip. She used it for a pin exchange at that year’s OrigamiUSA convention. (Making origami paper from security envelopes is another thing Gay introduced me to.)
The diagrams published here are Rui’s charming originals (the elephant offers advice and encouragement along the way) with a few small modifications. Appended are my instructions on how to attach the paperclip.
Here is Rui’s reply to my request for permission to publish his diagrams: “First of all let me transmit to you the huge joy of knowing that Gay Merrill Gross liked my elephant and showed it to you. It would be a great pleasure and honor to be part of a tribute to her.”
I do think of this article as a tribute to Gay’s resourcefulness (the paper choice), her creativity (making the elephant into a useful object) and her joy in promoting the work of other artists.
Video Instructions
Evan Zodl made a video tutorial for the elephant in 2016, as part of the World Conservation Society’s campaign to bring attention to the slaughter of elephants for their tusks. The goal was to set a world record for a display of origami elephants. Evan describes the campaign at the beginning of his video. The origami instructions begin at 1:05. Read more about the challenge here.