Hello all,

This afternoon we had our Sogetsu Victoria AGM and workshop. The workshop was led by Thea Sartori who chose the theme 'An arrangement using more than two, disparate containers'.

In my example, above, I used a glass decanter and two ceramic but very different containers. My materials were crucifix orchids and an agapanthus. I attempted to put another agapanthus in the small, brown vase but, I felt, it was superfluous and chose to leave the vase empty. I'm sure Christopher will upload the photos from the workshop onto our website, in due course, where you'll be able to view them.

For our regular, Wednesday class I had set the theme of 'A Warm Arrangement' for the advanced students. Some discussion ensued into what differentiated 'warm' from 'hot'.

Below is my first example. I used crucifix orchids and nandina domestica nana in a self made, ceramic container....

... However, because I felt it was too easy, I proceeded to make another one. In this one I used aging cycad fronds as they start to yellow and added clivias (Clivia nobilis pendulous), Portugal laurel berries and nandina domestica nana to the back.

Jenny used a dried, wisteria vine, New Zealand flax leaves and a single sunflower in a ceramic vase.

Nicole used canna lily flowers and a single leaf in a ceramic container with two openings.

Vicky, also, used canna lily leaves with dahlias in a small, triangular suiban.

Lucy chose a resin container and added elm branches, gerberas and Japanese anemones. 

Shaneen's curriculum theme was 'Composition Using Unconventional Materials'. She had her clever husband make the plastic, blue items in a 3D printer. She displayed them on a stone tile and threaded gold wire through them.

Lei's theme was 'Arrangement with Plants on a Wall'. She created a loose trellis using bamboo, onto which she attached dried cycad fronds and a dried strelitzia nicolai leaf. For fresh materials she used nandina domestica nana and spider plant (chlorophytum comosum). 

Mary's class theme was 'Specific Scenes, Occasions or Spaces. Mary chose to celebrate "International Women's Day', which falls on Wednesday, March 8th. The global occasion celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women is represented by three colours: Purple, Green and White.

Mary used two monstera deliciosa leaves, halved and, between them, she placed a curved delphinium flower, whose flowerettes are purple but the buds at the tip are white. Her ceramic suiban is, also, white.

Bye for now,

Emily