Last week I had the pleasure of demonstrating for all the grade one students at my grandkids' primary school. Apparently, Aria had spoken about me at school and her teacher thought it would be interesting for the children to have me demonstrate ikebana to them. She explained that they have been discussing how different cultures communicate through their art.
I took this assignment very seriously, tailoring the arrangements to this age group. I chose simple arrangements that would be quick to complete and have maximum impact. I was concerned that, with their short attention span, they would be bored and distracted. But I needn't have worried. They were very interested and extremely well behaved. They wanted to ask questions and make comments but did so without calling out, instead waiting patiently with hand up until I noticed them. Vicky, my assistant, and I were very impressed with their behaviour and their input. The fifty minutes went by very quickly and Aria's class, which was last to leave were brimming with questions and comments, with their teacher having difficulty herding them back to class. All in all, a most enjoyable experience.
At the top of this page is one of the arrangements I made and below are the rest.
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| Umbrella grass and camellias in self made, ceramic container |
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| Arum lilies in self made container |
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| Weeping willow and cymbidium orchid |
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| Silver birch branches and clivias |
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| New Zealand flax seed pods and strelitzia reginae in self made container |
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| Wired jonquil leaves and clivia |
Bye for now,
Emily
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