MAZE-ZASHI (A variety of materials)

 

 Hello all,

The theme for the advanced students at our last class was Maze-Zashi, A variety of Materials. In my example, above, I used two pieces of wisteria vine, which were cutoffs from my large exhibit at our recent exhibition. I had cut them on 20th September when the whole vine was completely bare of leaves. I put some stems in a bucket of water and watched as, with time, they produced leaves and I was able to use them here. I used, also, strelitzia reginae, spuria iris, Easter daisies and Nigella (Love in the Mist).

Bredenia impressed us with her yellow strelitzias (Mandela's Gold). They added height and strength to her arrangement, whilst the subordinate materials were much softer and smaller. They were nandina domestica, alstroemeria, Easter daisies, spent cottage gladioli and Phlomis fruticosa (Jerusalem sage).

Vicky used a large, round, ceramic container, into which she placed Cotinus grace (smoke bush), bougainvillea, Imperial geranium- Regal Elegance and one, double strelitzia reginae.

Jenny used Louisiana iris, parsley flowers, sweet williams, Marguerite daisy, Veronica and verbena vervain. Despite the large number of materials, she was able to create space both at the opening of the container and between the materials themselves, giving the arrangement an uncluttered look.

Shaneen's class theme was 'Complimenting an Art Piece'. Her art piece was an antique, Chinese, wooden box and for a container she used a ceramic trough, similar in shape and size to the box. Her materials were bamboo, nandina domestica nana and day lilies in a colour that perfectly matched the box.

Lei's class theme was 'Tsubo Vases'. She used prunus branches which she secured by the method of 'crossing and nailing'. The pale apricot roses toned in beautifully with her ceramic vase.

Dianne's class theme was 'Composition of Surfaces Made by the Massing of Lines'. She used umbrella grass stems for the 'surfaces' and Dutch iris for colour accent in a ceramic suiban.

Mary was quite prolific at last class, making two freestyle arrangements. In the one below she used some squiggly material, simulating a bird's nest and completed the look with the addition of one, double strelitzia flower.

In her second arrangement Mary used a large, bent flax leaf and one stem of Canterbury bells.

I leave you with this next arrangement using my one and only cymbidium orchid in my self made container. I added the palm inflorescence and some alstroemeria psittacina leaves.

Bye for now,

Emily