First Masterclass

 

Hello all,

Last Saturday we had our first Masterclass. It was a week later than originally planned due to a snap lockdown and had to be capped at 5 participants to comply with the restrictions. Despite all that, we had a very productive and, from my point of view, successful workshop.

The participants arrived with their cutters only. I provided containers, materials and tools because I wanted them to be completely unprepared. At this particular workshop I provided heavy, fruit bearing branches, which require strong mechanics to support them. Also, the containers I provided were tall ones because heavy fruit have the tendency to droop down, thus requiring height. Kenzans are not a good option for heavy branches.

I made the above arrangement on this theme after the class because I did not want to have an example for the participants, however, I did want to put myself through the exercise. It is important to note that, with heavy branches, the further away from the container the branch extends, the heavier it appears to become and is more likely to topple the container. In my arrangement, using the tall curved vase was very helpful in this regard because, by curving backwards, it brought the centre of gravity closer to the heaviest part of the branch. 

I got the pomegranates from an uncle and aunty, whom I visited once the restriction was eased and visits were allowed. As I entered their driveway I noticed their pomegranate tree full of fruit, unlike my baren one, and decided that was what I would use for my exercise. On closer inspection, however, I was crestfallen when  I noticed how many had actually been eaten and only the husk left.

And now for the work of the participants in the masterclass. I did not choose who would get which combination of container and materials. It was all random. And the challenge was to work out the mechanics necessary to support very heavy branches. I'm happy to say that they all did very well.

Nicole had a large branch of keffir lime with fruit on it and had to use quite a big container, something she would not normally do. She also used oriental lilies and amaranthus.

Akemi used her branch veritally. This might seem easier than horizontally but it's not. The stem with the heavy fruit can twist and must be secured. She also used Asiatic lilies and iris japonica leaves.

Christine's branches of persimmons were particularly heavy, so she kept them fairly close to the container. The blush on the fruit was picked up by the hydrangeas as well as some of the pink laurel berries.

Jenny had quite a challenge with the pear branches that had some quite large fruit on them. She also used oriental lilies and elm branches.

Lucy had a very heavy branch of crabapples and used with them oriental lilies and amaranthus.

Today was the first for the year of our Sogetsu meeting and workshop. Shoso Shimbo was the presenter of the workshop with the theme Mass and Line in a nageire container. I'm sure Christopher will post the members' photos on our blog when he's had some time. Sugetsu Ikebana Melbourne.

My arrangement is below. I apologise if it does not look identical to the one that will appear on our Sogetsu website but I had the devil of a time trying to recreate it. Especially after a piece of one of my sticks broke off in the car. I used chestnuts, procured from aunty's neighbour, who, when I asked if I could have some, said 'Take as much as you like'. I also used three brightly coloured nerines at the back and two coloured pieces of contorted hazel (Corylus avellana 'Contorta') for the lines.

My private student, Mary Southerland, is finishing Book 2 and made a couple of pleasing arrangements, which I wanted to include here. They are both Variation No. 7 - A floating arrangement, in which she used a flax leaf, dietes leaves and Japanese anemones. 

- A morimono, in which she used a small purple cabbage, pears and chillies and connected the two groups with a mahonia leaf

Bye for now,

Emily