The Brisbane group at the Saturday workshop. Unfortunately some had already left by the time this photo was taken.

Hello all,

Three weeks ago I was in Brisbane to run workshops with the Sogetsu group over two days. My visit started by being picked up at the airport by Catherine Purdon, the director and her husband Ross and delivered to a comfortable motel.

The next morning Catherine picked me up and we arrived at the library hall nice and early. This gave us enough time to prepare before the workshop.

In the morning we worked with a 'tsubo vase'. This is one of the lessons that will be included in the proposed book 5. I demonstrated the different mechanics that can be employed with this particular type of container and then made an arrangement using one of the methods, as per the sequence of photographs below.

In the afternoon I showed the attendees how to wire umbrella grass or bull rushes stems to create a surface and then used it in an arrangement. Because I have umbrella grass growing in abundance, I've developed this method and have been using it for a long time. 

The whole of the following day was devoted to a type of workshop that I took part in when I attended classes run by Kawana sensei in Tokyo. Small bunches of somewhat disparate material was given to each of the attendees who were told to make as many different arrangements as possible using only that material. This was not a theme I could demonstrate, so I have no photographs to post.

The committee as well as other members brought containers and kenzans, which they placed on tables at the front of the hall. Each member was asked to use a container they hadn't used before and to create an arrangement, photograph it and then dismantle it, return the container to the table and pick a new one for another arrangement, and so on. Members were surprised at how many arrangements they were able to make with the limited materials they had.

It was a very pleasant and rewarding experience for me with a group of talented and dedicated ikebanists. I was very warmly received and I'm grateful to the committee for providing materials and containers. They put in a lot of effort to make the workshops run smoothly. I'm especially indebted to Catherine and Ross Purdon for acting as my personal chauffeurs.

Busy ikebana bees!

For photographs of arrangements by the members, please go to the website-http://www.ikebanabrisbane.org.au/gallery 

Bye for now,
Emily