Viburnum Opulus branch,cotoneaster horizontalis berries (red) and melia
berries (green)

BEFORE'S AND AFTER'S

We are becoming more and more conscious of reducing waste in all aspects of our lives. This includes our ikebana, where we are encouraged to reuse materials as much as possible. Mr Kawana made a particular point of this in one of his very early visits to Melbourne and I have been trying to follow his instructions as much as possible.

The same vine in a wall arrangement
 with hydrangea and echinops

'Arrangement Using Vine'
Wisteria, cotoneaster berries and hydrangea

'Dried Bleached or Coloured Material'
Coloured Acacia aphyla, horsetail and peones

The same horsetail with rose

I made this arrangement with some leftover materials but I wasn't completely happy with it. When we were discussing this in class, I realized what it was that bothered me about it. The mahonia flowers were placed naturalistically, whereas the leaves were more modern.

 So, I gave it a 'haircut'. I think it's an improvement

                                  

                                                                                             

And once the mahonia flowers died, I replaced them with this hydrangea

You may remember, on a previous post, my delight in all my beautiful agapanthus flowers. Well, I was much less delighted when I had to remove them all after they died. It was a long and tiring job but it gave me the opportunity to play around with flowers and stems.

'Only one kind of material'

The same arrangement a week later

Agapanthus stems

Bye for now,
Emily

GLORIOUS AUTUMN IN MELBOURNE

We are very lucky in Melbourne to have four distinct seasons, especially for us Ikebanists, and I love all four. But autumn here is so stunning it takes my breath away. I have many deciduous trees and shrubs, which lift my spirits as I watch them changing colours. And raking the leaves on a sunny autumn afternoon would have to be one of my favourite pass times. Unfortunately, due to a shoulder injury, I can only do so a little at a time.

In the photograph, above, I started to rake the leaves from the mature golden elm but then had to stop and hand the job over to my lawn mower man, David. He used his efficient, albeit noisy blower to collect them into a large pile. Before I distribute them into my garden beds as mulch, I will give the grandchildren a chance to play in them. Also, I draw your attention to the state-of-the-art tree house that my neighbour and his son built on this, my favourite of my trees.

AND SO ONTO BOOK 5

In our first lesson after my return, the senior students were set the theme 'Composition Expressing a Movement'. I attended a workshop on this theme in Tokyo. The first sentence in this lesson reads as follows: 'Create a composition by developing its idea from a verb of movement'. We had a great deal of fun thinking up different verbs that we could represent in our arrangements, so much so, that we didn't know when to stop. I'm including only some of tthe work that was produced.

'Bouncing' - Bredenia 

'Drpping'- Lucy 

'Balancing' - Lucy 

'Cascading'- Emily

'Tickling' - Emily

'Excluding' - Vicky

'Curling' - Vicky

'Saluting' - Vicky

I leave you with a freestyle arrangement using my favourite camellia, 'Kamo Hon Ami' and viburnum opulus branches in this cheeky vase.

Bye for now,

Emily

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all the mums out there.

Last Tuesday we had our Ikebana International meeting where my sister-in-law Toula Karanikolopoulos was the demonstrator. Our theme was Using Paper in Ikebana, which is part of the lesson 'Unconventional Materials'. Toula used scrunched up paper that she died in subtle, pastel colours and added origami pieces to one side. She used New Zealand Flax and Singapore orchids in a container that she made herself.

Emily Karanikolopoulos

I wanted to use this Washi Paper that I made in Tokyo recently with my friend Emiko. But using an A4 piece of paper in an arrangement was quite challenging. This was one way to use it, almost flat, to showcase the details in the paper. I used aspidistra leaves and crucifix orchids.

Emiko Chishima in deep concentration making
her Washi Paper.

Below are just a few examples of arrangements using paper. For more photographs please go to our blog - melbourneikebana.blogspot.com.au

Christopher James

Betty Karanikolopoulos

Margaret Wilson

Nicole McDonald

After my absence from home and garden, I returned to find the Monstera Deliciosa flowering prolifically. Of course, I was compelled to arrange some of the flowers. In the arrangement, below, I used 5 flowers and three strelitsia leaves in a container I made myself many years ago. The copper strips pick up some colours in the container, which, unfortunately can't be seen in the photo. The flowers are very rigid and heavy making them difficult to place in an arrangement and the 'hood' of each flower falls away easily due to its weight.

Bye for now,

Emily

Some of the miniatures at the Sogetsu 90th Anniversary Akane Teshigahara
Solo Exhibition "Hana So"

SOGETSU 90TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS

Hello all.

2017 is the Sogetsu school's 90th Anniversary, so, prior to the Ikebana International World Convention, a number of celebratory events were organised by Sogetsu headquarters. This was very convenient, as many of us, who would be attending the Convention, chose, also, to attend some or all of the events.

I arrived in Tokyo quite early on the 5th April and, after leaving my luggage at the reception of my hotel as it was too early to check in, I went for a walk and, without planning it, I ended up at Sogetsu headquarters. The scene below is what greeted me.

The left hand side of the entry to Sogetsu Kaikan

Bamboo and stainless steel at the right hand side

This was outside the headquarters building and, as impressive as that was, I was not prepared for what greeted me inside the Sogetsu Plaza. It was mind blowing!

Rectangular pieces of stainless steel (close-up below) in their thousands lined the walls and floors of the 'rock garden'. Ikebana arrangements, from miniatures to large installations in antique rickshaws, were placed all around the plaza. The effect was mesmerizing.

I took the photograph, below, from the second story, where I stood for some time absorbing the view. I felt I was in 'fairyland'.

The one draw-back was the inability to get clear photographs of the arrangements because of the reflective nature of the stainless steel. I will, however include some of them, in the order that I took them, from the entry at ground level to the top level.

In case you're wondering what this material is, it is the roots of
the up side down bamboo, all sprayed black.

An exquisite glass vase made, I'm told, by iemoto.

If you look very closely you will see the rickshaw with masses of
spring flowering branches

This is the second rickshaw, also with spring flowering branches

This was also an opportunity to run some training sessions for the new Book Five - Technique and Creation.

I attended one workshop run by Eikou Sumura sensei on the theme 'Composition Expressing a Movement', where we had to select a verb that described some movement and depict that in our arrangement. Below is my arrangement and my verb was 'Hiding'

I used aspidistra leaves and bromeliads 

I also attended an all day training session with a Special lecture by Iemoto as well as other videoed material. There was also a demonstration by Suisen Takagi sensei of ten arrangements of different themes from the new book. Unfortunately I am not able to post the pictures that I took because it was stated very clearly on the printed material that we were not to do so.

Bye for now,

Emily

Part of the Australian contingent - (from the left) Elizabeth,I, Marilyn, Nancy, Kaye and Dianne

Ikebana International 11th World Convention - Okinawa.

So, where to begin? Firstly I have to express my gratitude to the organizers and volunteers, who have worked tirelessly for the smooth running of the Convention. It must have been a logistical nightmare. We are often guilty of noticing the little things that may not go according to plan but we simply take for granted all the things that go well, and forget the planning, thought and effort that was exerted by the organizers.

My arrival in Okinawa was anything but smooth but I won't bore you with my wowes, suffice it to say that I staggered into my hotel room at about 10.30pm lugging heavy suitcases and lamenting the absence of my husband.

For the 5 days of the convention, I woke up at 6.00, then to breakfast at 7.00 and to the shuttle bus at 8.10. Fortunately, there were a number of Australian colleagues with whom I kept company.

On the first day we set up our exhibition arrangements. Mine created some discussion because some people found it impressive and others wanted to know how I managed to create the shape. Also, they wanted to know what the material was that I used. I always thought of it as a 'Palm spathe'. However, I was told it is a leaf, not a spathe. So, with the help of Google I discovered that I was wrong and, in fact, what I used was the leaf.

I have to apologise in advance that I will only post photographs of the arrangements made by people I know, who gave me permission to do so. As is always the case, in the exhibition there were those arrangements that appealed to me and those that did not. I'll share one little anecdote with you - a number of us were walking through the various rooms with exhibits when we came across an arrangement we liked and said so. Its owner happened to be standing near and overheard. She smiled shyly and admitted that the arrangement was hers. We congratulated her on her work and introduced ourselves. Imagine my delight when she told me she already knew me and that she has been following my blog for some time. Her name is Larisa Sarycheva and she is from Moscow.

 

Larisa and I.

Below are some of the arrangements at the exhibition:

Mitsuko Nishiyama - Master instructor - Tokyo
(In her gorgeous Rosenthal Container)

Ken Katayama - Master Instructor - Tokyo

Christopher James - Director Sogetsu  School of Ikebana
Victorian Branch

Chieko Yazaki - II President Melbourne Chapter

Masae Ako - Sydney

Kaye Pearson - Brisbane

Elizabeth Angel - Melbourne
(Sorry about the poor quality of this photo)

And now for the demonstration. Things started out with a set-back when Robyn Unglik, who was to be my assistant, had to cancel her trip due to a family illness. But I was lucky that Eugenia Chudacek agreed to step in and she took the job very seriously. I arrived in Okinawa too late to attend a briefing for the demonstrators so Eugenia attended for me and took detailed notes. Also, I'd been ill in Tokyo prior to going to Okinawa, which left me somewhat scatterbrained. Whereas I'm normally well organised, I found myself forgetting things and making mistakes. This is where Eugenia came in and kept me to the schedule. I'm so grateful to her because I don't know how I would have managed without her.

I have a great deal of experience in demonstrating so I don't suffer nerves beforehand. However, knowing the size of my audience and the fact that at least two Sogetsu master instructors would be  there, did produce some butterflies. Then, to make matters worse, it was whispered to me that there was to be a surprise - three Imperial  princesses would also be attending - H.I.H. Princess Hitachi, H.I.H. Princess Takamado and Princess Ayako.

I'm happy (and relieved) to say that everything went like clockwork. Judging by the applause, the audience seemed to like my work.

My trusty assistant, Eugenia and I

There were two demonstrators on stage at the same time. Our first arrangement was made using the common material that was provided - bird's nest fern. Then we each did a free style. When we finished we were asked to line up in front of the stage to be greeted by their Imperial Highnesses. It was quite an unexpected honour to shake hands with Royalty.

My bird's nest fern arrangement
with allium

I wanted to use an Australian native material, hence this Acacia
aphyllla together with calla lilies

Once their Imperial  Highnesses left the auditorium, I was 'mobbed'. Seriously, there were so many people talking to me at once that I was bewildered. Among them was a reporter from an Okinawan newspaper whose first question to me was how old was I! He then wanted to know what I liked best in Okinawa. Sadly I could not answer having seen only my hotel and the convention centre.

During the rest of the convention I was constantly stopped by people telling me how much they enjoyed my demonstration and how confident I looked on stage. Little did they know that when I was doing some fine wiring, I whispered to Eugenia that my hands weren't working properly.

The most significant affirmation, however, came from Ken Katayama sensei and Kosa Nishiyama sensei, both master instructors of the Sogetsu school, who expressed approval of my demonstration.

Another highlight for me was meeting people who have been following my blog, as well as making new acquaintances with people from around the world.

At the Sayonara dinner with Kazuko Yano (committee member and former II Melbourne
chapter member), Elizabeth Angel, me, and Mrs Matsumoto, who very kindly lent me
three kenzans for my demonstration and exhibits.

Bye for now,
Emily