2ND JUNE, 2025

 

Hello all,

At our recent Sogetsu workshop, which was conducted by Lara Telford, we were asked to contemplate the reason that our founder, Sofu Teshigahara named our school 'Sogetsu' which translates 'Grass Moon'. We were to interpret this theme in our own way. Personally, I went very literal. I chose bamboo, which is a grass and a large pomegranate on a stem to represent the moon. The container was chosen not only for its shape but also for its stability in holding the heavy fruit without toppling.

I was not overly enamoured of it as an arrangement, so I changed it when I got home. I replaced the bamboo with a loquat branch - the arrangement at the top of this post. It was not meant to be on Lara's topic but more dynamic as an arrangement.

For our recent Wednesday class I tried something new. I asked the advanced students to make freestyle arrangements, all of which would be placed on the staircase. I instructed them to collaborate to some extent by keeping in mind the arrangements below and above their own. There were to be some common elements in the arrangements connecting them. I stressed that it was not to be a 'Renka'. The arrangements were to stand alone and then be placed along with the others on the staircase.

We needed a start, so I made my arrangement first, which I placed on the staircase before the students arrived and they took it from there.

Emily's arrangement - Rhododendron, oranges and nerines

Lei's arrangement - cordylines, nerines and salvias

Nicole's arrangement - rhododendron

Vicky's arrangement - spruce and chrysanthemums

Jenny's arrangement - salvias and rhododendrons

Lucy's arrangement had to be photographed in situ - bamboo structure, 
oranges and alstroemeria psittacina  leaves

The final result

And here is an example of an experienced teacher making a rookie mistake. My first attempt was an arrangement, using autumnal colours, which I thought would blend in very well with the timber of the staircase. Because of a bad back, I worked on the arrangement in my studio and not directly on the stairs. I was quite pleased with it and photographed it against a black background. Because it was designed to drape down the staircase, I elevated it by placing it over another container. 

My heart sank when I placed it on the staircase because the colours blended with the timber too well and the arrangement was lost. There was nothing I could do but make a new arrangement.

On the following Friday, Mary followed on with the same theme. She, also, made a freestyle arrangement taking into consideration my arrangement. She used oranges to connect with it. We, then, placed them on the staircase.

Bye for now,

Emily