GAAD WORKSHOP

Hello all,

Last Saturday I conducted a workshop and demonstration organised by GAAD (Greek Australian Artists' Directory). I was assisted by Vicky, who's very experienced at helping to make my demonstrations run smoothly. We, also, had the company of my granddaughter, Hermione, who took part in the workshop and did a really good job.

Below is a photo of the three of us beside Hermione's arrangement.

We were a small but enthusiastic group. I, first, demonstrated the Basic Upright arrangement, being the very first lesson in our curriculum. I had provided containers, kenzans and materials to the attendees to make their own arrangement. I found prunus blossoms on trees growing along the road and thought it was a great opportunity to use them in the workshop. For flowers we used chrysanthemums. With a little help from Vicky and me, they all made very good arrangements.

I, then, proceeded to demonstrate seven freestyle arrangements.

In the first I used two haemanthus lily leaves and a single protea in a ceramic container.

In the second I used a branch of my stachyurus praecox, whose pendulous flowers were not as open as I would have liked but I used it anyway. I placed it in  yellow vase, which picked up the colour of the flowers. The Brushfield's yellow camellias seemed well suited to complete the arrangement.

In the third arrangement (pictured at the top of this page), I got the opportunity to use a couple of cymbidium orchid stems, which were given to me by my student, Bredenia. Much as I love them, I find these orchids rather hard to use in ikebana as they are very rigid. Placing them in a kenzan doesn't always work because they are quite heavy. In my arrangement I used some black coloured, spear grass for design but also, to act as support for the flowers.

When I cut the protea from my son's neighbours' tree for the first arrangement, I saw a couple of flowers with curved stems that, simply, had to be cut and arranged. Apart from trimming the superfluous leaves, my only other task was to choose a container. I tried a few before settling on this curved, ceramic one.

An Ikebana demonstration would not be complete without a basket arrangement. The materials used in a basket arrangement should be light for balance, both visual and actual. I've been watching these bromeliad flowers and was hoping they would be open in time for this demonstration. This bromeliad is called Queens Tears (Billbergia Nutans) and, with its pendulous form, it's ideal for a basket. The variegated leaves are from the plant Arum italicum pictum.

I grow jonquils very successfully because I go to the trouble of digging them up after each season and then replanting them in autumn. My husband, Sam loves them for their fragrance and I always have some in a vase on his desk. I, particularly, like working with their leaves. I wire them and then I'm able to shape them in interesting ways. I demonstrated this technique for the group.

For the demonstration of the next arrangement I used a much loved, stainless steel vase. I commented on how versatile a metal container can be because it is light and unbreakable. Ironically, when I got home the base of the vase had broken off. 

I had reset all of the arrangements when I got home so that I might photograph them against a plain background. I replaced the broken, metal vase with a ceramic one for the reconstruction of the arrangement. I used a single piece of pine (pinus radiata), to which I had attached a long stick to go inside the vase and hold the pine in place. I then added some brightly coloured camellias to complete the piece.

Mary' lesson this week was Miniature Arrangements. Everyone seems to have fun with this theme and Mary was no exception.

Bye for now,

Emily