A little bit about myself:
My name is Hans Trygve Birkeland, born 23.04.1964 in Trondheim, Norway. I now live in Bogense, Denmark, where I work as a librarian.
ORIGAMI
I started folding origami as a kid, but didn't design my first model until 1991, when I bought my first book: Robert Lang's wonderful "The complete book of origami". I have always liked complex models, but the most important thing is that the design makes "good use" of the paper, which I prefer to be square. In 1992 I visited Alfredo Giunta in Italy, and he showed me how beautiful origami can be. Among my favorite designers are: Robert Lang, John Montroll, Peter Engel, Jeremy Shafer, Fumiaki Kawahata, Issei Yoshino, Jun Maekawa, Toshiyuki Meguro, Kunihiko Kasahara, Ronald Koh, Herman van Goubergen, Dave Brill, Alfredo Giunta and Michael La Fosse. There are many other designers that I admire, and hopefully the list will continue to grow.
About the diagrams: You are welcome to save and print the diagrams for personal use. Please contact me for other requests. I plan to add a description of the symbols and signs, which more or less follows the international standard. Most of the models are somewhere between intermediate and complex, with a handful very very difficult ones (the sea-urchins). For these I recommend very thin and very strong paper, like some of the paper you get for wrapping wet flowers! I myself mostly fold from foil-paper (size 35 cm) with a sheet of tissue paper spray-glued to the metal side. Happy folding!
PAINTING
I also paint in oils. My favorite painter is without doubt Vincent van Gogh. I also love Cezanne, Soutine, Matisse, Gauguin, Bonnard, Monet, Picasso, Derain, Balthus, Jorn, Munch etc. Some of my paintings.
MUSIC
I play tenor- and soprano saxophone, having studied jazz improvisation at a conservatory for a couple of years. Some of my rolemodels are: John Coltrane, Jan Garbarek and the pianist Keith Jarrett.
SPORT
I used to
run around in the woods of southern Norway with a map and a compass when I was a
teenager. In 2001 I started a new career as a runner, having discovered that it
was a bad desicion to quit something you really love. My personal records:
10 K: 34:27 (Hvidovreløbet 2003) ½ marathon: 1:16:24 (Griseløbet spring 2004) marathon: 2:45:34 (Copenhagen Marathon 2004)
FAMILY
Here are my two boys Bertel (6 months) and Laurits (2½ years) and my wife Sara
