Nga Trinh
Mat Na Xanh/Blue Masks
24X28 2012 Origami - comic books' papers, a mask fold with blue flower-beads. 
Mat Na Vuon/Garden Mask
20X28 2012 Origami- used book and catalog papers, a mask fold with sun-faced medallions.
Mat Na Vuon II/Garden Mask II 12X28 2013 I used a 2013 Dutch Garden cataloging papers to fold these colorful masks.
Hong Du Loai II/Mixed Roses II
16X40 2011 Origami - used garden book-pages, a double-layered rose fold(one smaller rose inside a bigger rose)with rose beads.
Twin Masks
24X27 2013 A friend gave me a package of new Origami papers and I used them to fold these masks (I use mostly recycled papers for my folds).
Rung An/Hidden Forest
30X30 2010 Origami I used recycled wrapping papers for this origami work.
Vuon Vuong/Garden Squares
24X25 2010 Origami - recycled books’ pages, square fold with beads and twine.
Adventures of TinTin II
20.5X28.5 2010 I made these square folds out of a discarded, old and damaged library book
Stories From Different Lands
28X44 2010 Origami - recycled library books' pages, square folds with pebbles.
I came to the United States as a refugee from Viet Nam in 1975, and I’ve been living in Berkeley since 1982. I graduated from UC Berkeley with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1983 after years of struggle with learning a new language.
I currently work at the Berkeley Public Library as a Library Assistant, and I’ve been with BPL for eleven years. Before that I worked for Oakland Unified School District as an Instructional Assistant and a Bilingual Specialist.
As a child growing up in Viet Nam, I learned paper folding when I was about ten, and now I often incorporate it into my artwork using mostly recycled materials. I occasionally show and teach origami to children and adults in Berkeley. I want to introduce to people this simple toy-making art form that was very popular with children in Viet Nam during the 60s – all you need is a sheet of paper and after a few folds, you can transform it into a beautiful toy in the shape of an animal, fan, plane, flower and countless other forms.
My coworkers at BPL gave me the nickname “Recycling Queen” and I carry it like a badge of honor through my art. I often practice the three R’s in my daily routine either at home or at work: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. I use mostly recycled materials and found objects in my artwork, especially paper and would love to spread this recycling usage to others – you don’t need fancy, new and expensive materials to make an interesting and beautiful artwork – just look around your environment.
