Step out of the box and share your heart Japanese-style this Feb. 14.

The Georgia Museum of Art will host an event called Origami Valentines to celebrate the day and to educate attendees about Japanese culture as part of their Family Day series.

Co-sponsored by the Center for Asian Studies, participants will make hearts and boxes using traditional origami techniques.

“[For this event,] I was looking for any opportunity to show Japanese art and culture. Origami is very fun and is attractive,” said Hijiri Hattori, Japan Outreach Initiative coordinator at CAS.

Hattori helped organize the event and remembers learning to fold a crane, balloon and box from her mom as a child.

“Playing as kids [in Japan], origami is very popular. It is just a piece of paper and does not cost much,” Hattori said. “We can use newspaper and ads from the paper. We can learn colors and shapes from origami.”

Origami is found throughout Japanese culture. Many figures can be made in this art form, but most figures are inspired by nature, such as birds, flowers and fish.

One popular origami figure is the crane. The Japanese tradition is to send 1,000 cranes to people who are hospitalized due to sickness.

“Most [Japanese children] are familiar with folding cranes … to wish the sick person a soon recovery,” Hattori said.

Hattori plans events such as Origami Valentines as part of her outreach with the Japan Outreach Initiative in Athens. The JOI sends Japanese volunteers to various sites in the United States to help promote a better understanding of Japan in the US.

The event is also part of GMOA’s Family Day series.

“Family Days provide an opportunity for families to learn about works of art and create art together,” Carissa DiCindio, associate curator of education for GMOA, said. “We want children and parents, who may not have a background in art or museums, to feel comfortable and have a great experience.”

Jenny Beene Gunn, curatorial assistant for GMOA, also enjoys Family Days because families can experience art together. But she also mentioned that anyone is welcome to participate at this event.