Origami Tree’s mission is to make crafty fun accessible worldwide – all year round.
With over 28 million views, it is a high traffic arts & crafts resource for kids and adults alike.
Based in NYC, services include set design, digital campaigns, custom craft designs, demonstrations, and in-person workshops.
Notable clients include NASA, Post-it® Brand, Good Housekeeping, Universal Pictures, and more.
Jenny W. Chan is an arts & crafts teacher and paper crafts designer in New York City. She holds a BA in Psychology, with a minor in Child & Adolescent Mental Health, from New York University, and a MA in Psychology in Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She is the founder of Origami Tree, a one-stop resource with hundreds of free projects for children, parents, and teachers, and is also the “hands” behind Good Housekeeping napkin folding videos.
Jenny has been folding origami since she was a little girl and began designing fun, simple models for her “crafty friends” on YouTube in 2013. Her repertoire ranges from traditional origami stars to contemporary unicorns, cats, and cartoon characters. In the past, Jenny has collaborated with NASA, Good Housekeeping, Nickelodeon, Post-it® Brand, Universal Pictures, and more. She has even taught paper crafts to First Lady McCray!
In 2020, Jenny was selected to launch and teach at an innovative hybrid after school program for the Boys & Girls Club of Harlem. Together with YouTube, they created the “Origami Tree of Wishes,” a large art installation for children to hang 1,000 cranes with their hopes and dreams for the world. Additionally, Jenny was featured in the United States of YouTube, an interactive map where viewers can find examples of creators from each state who are sharing their skills and passions with the world.
In 2015, she won first place in the Paper Crafts and Scrapbook Category in The Craftys, which celebrates the best in crafts and DIY, and judges on technical expertise, creative expression, and innovation. In 2016, she was chosen as a YouTube NextUp winner after being hand-picked to participate in the legendary program alongside some of the most promising creators on the platform. That year, she also co-authored Creative Origami & Beyond (Walter Foster Publishing), which is available in English and Swedish. In 2017, she was invited as a guest on The Rachael Ray Show to showcase napkin folding techniques for the holiday season. In 2018, she was featured as a YouTube Elite on CBS New York in “Studio to Stardom,” a behind-the-scenes segment of YouTube Space New York which aired after the Grammy Awards. In February 2018, she returned to The Rachael Ray Show for their pre-Valentine’s Day segment.
In 2019, Jenny was selected as a featured creator for YouTube Space Pop-Up in Washington, D.C. She was also awarded the VidCon Creator Grant.
In her spare time, Jenny enjoys designing and discovering new crafty mediums. She has also done the voice over for over 250 videos for the Little Angel YouTube channel, playing the role of Teacher Hannah, Sister Jill, and Baby John-as well as hundreds of voice over projects for children games, educational apps, jingles, digital ads, and animations, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and Tourism Whistler: the official destination website for Whistler, BC, Canada. A fan of classical crossover music, you’ll frequently find her supporting young vocalists, on and offline, as well.
Today, Jenny is active in New York City, teaching origami in English and Chinese. She especially enjoys working with children and senior citizens. She offers origami and general crafting tutorials, demonstrations, and giveaways regularly on her YouTube channel, home to over 28 million views and a rapidly growing fan base. Jenny also collects donations throughout the year to distribute to local senior centers and mall events.
For more crafty fun, visit the Origami Tree YouTube channel at YouTube.com/OrigamiTree.
For donations, business inquires, collaborations, special requests, or bookings please send an e-mail to [email protected].
Origami Tree is made possible through generous donations from fans, supporters and sponsors. Please consider making a donation below. Your generosity is appreciated.
Previous Projects, As Seen On:
