John Montroll

John Montroll is a globally respected American origami master, recognized for significantly expanding the world’s repertoire of original origami designs. Born on January 1, 1960, in Washington, D.C., he is the son of Elliott Waters Montroll, a distinguished scientist and mathematician.

Montroll holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from the University of Rochester, a Master of Arts in Electrical Engineering from the University of Michigan, and a Master of Arts in Applied Mathematics from the University of Maryland. From 1990 to 2021, he taught mathematics and origami at St. Anselm’s Abbey School in Washington, D.C.

His origami journey began at age six when he mastered Isao Honda’s How to Make Origami. That same year, he started creating his own origami animals. By age twelve, he had joined the Origami Center of America, and at fourteen, he attended his first origami convention.

Montroll pioneered modern origami with his groundbreaking first book, Origami for the Enthusiast (Dover Publications, 1979), which was the first origami book where every model is folded from a single square sheet with no cuts. This publication established what became known as the single-square, no cuts, no glue approach that defines contemporary origami practice.

He is credited with inventing innovative techniques and bases, including the “double rabbit ear fold” (a term he introduced), the “dog base,” and the revolutionary “insect base.” These contributions have become fundamental tools in the origami community.

Throughout his prolific career, Montroll has authored numerous origami books, each featuring meticulously developed folding sequences. His extensive experience allows him to create elegant models with fewer steps, always striving to provide folders with a pleasing and accessible experience.

Beyond origami, Montroll enjoys whistling as a hobby. He claims to whistle in five octaves and has demonstrated this talent at two whistling conventions in Louisburg, North Carolina.