Hello all,
I run the Masterclass once a month but had to cancel the last three due to clashes with 2 exhibitions and a demonstration. So, it was great to get back to it. Providing the advanced students with challenging work and seeing what they come up with is very rewarding for this teacher.
Vicky had done some pruning in her garden and offered bare, magnolia and apple branches for the class to use. I gave each student two branches and a stem of Oriental lilies plus two leaves, all of them different. They were to choose the container themselves.
In my arrangement, above, after positioning the magnolia branches securely in the container, I removed a number of side stems to create a windswept look. I added the flower at the back and weaved a number of dietes leaves to follow the direction of the stems.
Lei came up with an interesting design but struggled with the mechanics needed to keep the branches in position in this difficult to use container. Because the branches are bare, they can be placed out of water and the aspidistra leaves can, also, survive out of water.
Cym chose a tall vase with two openings and placed her magnolia branches diagonally over it. She, then, carefully arranged the strelitzia leaves so that the pinky coloured spine would be visible, picking up the colour of the flowers. Her flower stem had three flowers and she was loathe to remove any, so she used it as it was, placing it behind the leaves.
Lucy started with a ceramic vase with an antique metallic patina and a small opening. She arranged her branches and gymea leaves over the container placing inside the vase the flower and an interesting branch with a thick stump on the end.
Jenny placed her branches in and out of this heavy, ceramic container with a split down the middle. She used one of her New Zealand flax leaves and the flower stem with partially open buds.
Vicky wanted to feature the beautiful line of her apple branch, so chose a tall, white vase for her arrangement. She placed one stem in the vase and one in front of it. Two monstera deliciosa leaves and the flower stem completed the arrangement. There was some debate as to whether to remove the two leaves at the top. In the end I left it up to her to decide and she chose to keep them.
Mary's class theme was Jika-dome - Direct fixing. She used camelia branches, which she was able to bend. She placed the branches with the bottom of the stem resting on the inside wall of the vase and the bend on the lip. The chrysanthemum stems, also, needed some bending to bring them forward.
Before I leave you, I'd like to extend an invitation to an exhibition - 'Antipodean Palette', in which I will be taking part. Details below.
I will be on duty on Saturday morning, 13th July, if anyone wants to drop in and say hi.
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