The Paper Fold Technique
Purely by folding, Polly creates three-dimensional geometric repeat patterns in paper. Light hits the surface of these low-relief white paper sculptures and strikingly throws up their form. Most of the designs are based on straight-line folds although many now incorporate or are completely made from folded curves and the outcomes are surprising. Each sculpture has a unique feel and the works vary, inspired by architectural form, op-art or nature.
During the design process, a simple paper fold structure is eased into shape by hand into a small piece of paper. This paper is opened out and the crease-lines carefully, mathematically transcribed into a computer line drawing. Once this drawing is refined and tested and with the repeat tessellation computed, the line data is sent to a cutting machine that very slightly grazes the paper along the lines in order to score it. The paper is then folded by hand along these scores. As in the ancient tradition of origami, the sculptures are each created by folding a single sheet of paper and there are no cuts.