MASTERCLASS #34

 

Hello all,

At our recent masterclass I threw the attendees into the proverbial deep end. I provided each of them with an entire plant of agave. Some were larger than others but they were each a full plant. 

I love working with agave and have used it in many different ways in the past. In my early years of ikebana, I used to travel quite a distance to help myself to a large clump that was growing by the side of the road. More recently, having planted some in my garden, I have plenty of the variegated type in three, large clumps. Of course, I realise now, that you CAN have too much of a good thing and I had to do a serious cull. Hence the abundance of material for our class. 

Below are two photographs of examples of the plants I provided. There are challenges with using this material, the principle one being the weight. It is, also, quite soft, so that mechanics like wiring are not very successful. Also, using a kenzan is not an option.

I, also, provided each participant with six stems of umbrella grass. They were required to use some or all with their arrangement.

In my arrangement at the top of this post I used a vertical fixture to secure the plant on top of this vase. I chose the vase because of its height and because it has a wide base which gives it stability. Sam calls it my octopus arrangement.

Lei used only two of the leaves from her plant and, try as she might, could not use the umbrella grass successfully. Even though it was a requirement to use it, I agreed that she should not, as the arrangement was complete as it was and anything added to it would be mere decoration.

Cymbie had a similar idea to me but she did not copy me, as mine was hidden in another room for just that reason. I revealed mine at the end of the lesson.

Bredenia had to balance the heavy plant upright in a reconstituted stone container. She used a thick skewer through the plant and wedged it as a horizontal fixture.

Christine chose a very heavy container made of Mexican onyx to match the colour on some of the leaves. From the umbrella grass she used only the seed heads.

Vicky trimmed her very big plant, heavily and balanced it on a large, platter shaped container. She created contrast and asymmetry with the use of triangles made from umbrella grass stems.

Lucy had the biggest plant of all and, she too, had to trim heavily. She chose a container with a split through the centre, into which she wedged the agave. She created a structure of small triangles with the umbrella grass stems, contrasting with the agave.

I made the arrangement, below, without the umbrella grass, before class. This is just me playing and trying new ways to use agave.

At the end of the class I had a large number of agave cuttings to dispose of. However, being the ikebana tragic that I am, I could not throw everything away. I used pieces of the 'heart' of the plant for the arrangement, below. The accompanying material is leafless wattle (acacia aphylla).

Because the agave in the arrangement, below, had been out of water for a number of days, it was soft and pliable allowing me to intertwine the pieces. I was quite happy with the arrangement as it was but, then, I wanted to see what it would look like with flowers, hence the second picture. I felt the arum lilies suited the agave in colour and style. I will let you decide which you prefer.

Bye for now,

Emily

CAMELLIAS

 

Hello all,

At our last class I asked the advanced students to make an arrangement using camellias. As materials go they are much prized in ikebana but there are difficulties with using them. When arranging stems of camellias the back of the leaves must not show. This will require trimming and twisting the leaves so that only the shiny, front of them is showing. Also, often, flowers grow underneath the leaves making them hard to use. The flowers, themselves, can fall very easily, not because they are old but because they are heavy, so we help keeping them from falling by pinning them to the nearest leaf, as per photo, below.

Pinning method

Camellia facing backwards

All the arrangements appear relatively simple but it took considerable effort and expertise to create that simplicity.

The arrangement, above, is mine. I used two, different coloured camellias, and as though to prove the point of the flowers prematurely falling, the one camellia I missed pinning, fell just as I placed the vase on the table.

The arrangement, below is Nicole's. We could not work out from which tree the branches were cut. I'm guessing they are Japanese maple. She secured them onto the tsubo vase and made a mass with her camellias.

Jenny's arrangement is a good example of the theme 'Using Only Kind of Material'. She took advantage of the split in the container in the placement of her branches, making a sweeping line.

Vicky used camellias and Japanese flowering quince in two, different but matching  containers. Apart from making sure that the flowers and leaves faced upwards, she achieved asymmetry, an important element in ikebana. 

Lei used a dry, magnolia branch and camelias in a horse shoe shaped container. She took great pains to ensure that the branches did not rest on the rims of the container's two openings.

Cymbie used a glass, tsubo vase and variegated, red camellias with just one, white, Kamo Hon Ami. 

Lucy's arrangement is also a good example of 'Using Only One Kind of Material'. The glass vase, recently acquired, has a stripy pattern, which conceals the stems inside. Don't tell anyone but the camellias are from a cemetery garden. 

I love the combination of camellias and pine and decided to use them in an arrangement. It was probably not a good idea to use pine this time of year because the trees are flowering, so they have fewer pine needles and drop copious amounts of yellow pollen all around. Because we have an abundance of pine trees (pinus radiata) in our area, our paths, balcony, outdoor furniture etc are covered in a yellow dust all through August. Most annoying.

Camellias, jonquils and straggly looking pine

Dianne's curriculum theme was 'Paying Attention to the View from Above'. By coincidence, Dianne also used camellias - Kamo Hon Ami and added sprigs of prunus mume in bud.

View from above.

Bye for now,

Emily

REUSING MATERIALS

Japanese flowering quince and camellias. A match made in heaven!

 Hello all,

The arrangement, above, evokes bitter sweet feelings in me. The camellias and Japanese flowering quince were cut from a garden that belonged to a very dear aunt and uncle, both of whom passed away recently. Every time I visited them in winter I would cut branches from their garden because their plants always flowered much earlier than mine. Alas, this year will be the last because the house is about to be sold.

In this post I'm featuring only my own works, usually done for my own pleasure and not as part of any classes or workshops. Also, the next four arrangements were made with materials that I had used before.

The first arrangement was one that I had set up for a corporate function some time ago. When the flowers and other, fresh materials had died, I was left with the skeleton made with magnolia branches. At the time it took some effort to create this structure and I really liked the design and movement, so I wanted to use it again....

....so, here it is again with all new, fresh materials. I used NZ flax, nandina domestica nana, strelitzias reginae, umbrella grass and monstera deliciosa leaves.

All three of the materials in the next arrangement had been used previously. They are all long lasting so I was able to put them together in a completely different way. They are monstera deliciosa leaves, cut into triangles, nandina domestica nana and nandina domestica berries. The container is one that belonged to Hazel, an ikebana friend who passed away a very long time ago. Her nephew-in-law contacted me last year, offering some of Hazel's and his wife's containers to me and my students.

I used the big branch, below, of contorted hazel (corylus avellana contarta) in my demonstration of 'In a Suiban without a Kenzan' some weeks ago. Then, recently, I was given a very fragrant bunch of jonquils, which were ideal for making a mass. So, the two came together. I did, however, have to work out the mechanics of balancing the branch in position.

The next three arrangements were made with the same piece of twisted wisteria.

Second use, wisteria sprayed
black

First use of wisteria in natural form

Third and final use - I threw it out after this.

When I gave my hydrangeas their winter pruning, I had a few flowers in soft, autumn colours, crying out be used.

The next arrangement was made in the middle of winter, yet it gives the feeling of spring. It is made with a camellia and a prunus mume stem.

Bye for now,

Emily

DEMONSTRATIONS AND WORKSHOPS

Hello all,

At our July Ikebana International meeting the Guest Speaker was Takako Routledge on the topic - 'The Way of Tea'. Members were asked to bring Tea Ceremony inspired arrangements.

After the presentation, our Lucy demonstrated 2 'chabana' arrangements, below. These are typically small, simple arrangements to be present during tea ceremonies. One of Lucy's arrangements was in a basket and the other in a bamboo container, which was meant for hanging on a wall. The three photographs are courtesy of Lei Wang.
 

Unfortunately, I was not able to attend but I made my own chabana arrangement, below. I bought the little vase in Plaka in Athens long before I even heard the word 'Ikebana'. We, Greeks, also, have a long history in  ceramics. I placed my single, camellia stem diagonally, reflecting the line on the container and added a sprig of nandina domestica berries.

At the July Sogetsu meeting Akemi Suzuki presented the workshop on the topic "Decorating leaves with gold leaf and gold powder'. Akemi had attended an Iemoto class at headquaters, where this technique was demonstrated and offered to share what she had learnt with the rest of us. Most of us had not done this before and were keen to learn something new.

Akemi demonstrated how to use watered down glue on to the surface of leaves to be decorated, then placed gold leaf or powder onto it. Two large tables, covered in plastic, were placed in the middle of the hall and the members took turns to use the glue, gold leaf and powder. Then we returned to our tables to complete our arrangements. Please go to Sogetsu Victoria for more information and for photos of Akemi's demonstration pieces as well as members' works.

Below is my arrangement. I used an unfurled, strelitzia nicolai leaf. I created stripes, curving diagonally around the leaf, using the glue and gold powder. I then placed two, queen's tears bromeliad flowers in the crevice.

Close up of gold stripes

At home I was inspired to experiment further, this time with gold spray. My concern with these types of materials is that we must avoid using them as just decoration. A good test to check if the material is necessary to the arrangement, is to remove it and see if the arrangement looks complete without it. Having said that, I used a gold spray can to create stripes on a monstera leaf that was cut in half. Below are three photographs capturing the evolution of my arrangement.

First iteration - too wide

Second iteration - too long

Final iteration - just right (I think)

Back to class. Dianne's curriculum theme was 'Paying Attention to the View from Below'. She placed her arrangement of wattle and nandina domestica berries on top of a cabinet in the lounge room.

Mary's arrangement, below, was on the theme of 'Jika Dome'. She used camellia branches and lisianthus flowers.

My leucadendron is looking its best at the moment. It has been in need of trimming for some time but I like to cut it when I can use it in ikebana. 

Below are three arrangements using only the leucadenfron and taking advantage of the angles created by the branches hanging downwards. I trimmed subordinate stems leaving the interesting shapes.

Bye for now,

Emily