Chapter
Activities Hyderabad
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Hyderabad #250 India
On March 23 and May 12, 2012, Anisha Tandon and Nirmala Agarwal were invited to give an ikebana demonstration at Nachiketa Tapovan on behalf of Ikebana International Hyderabad Chapter. Nachiketa Tapovan is a school for underprivileged children funded by a trust that provides free education and free meals. There were around 60 children. Six arrangements based on ikebana styles were created using commonly available household materials such as line cup sau cers, glasses, and jugs. Extra material was distributed to children after the demo, and they experimented with simple arrangements. The smiles on children’s faces after the demo were truly rewarding.
Love Mother Earth Manila
From March 2 to 4, 2012, at the Glorietta 5 Mall, Ay a l a C o m mercial Center, Makati City, Manila Chapter held its annual exhibition. This year the theme was Save Mother Earth. Chapter President Myrna Hallare did the ceremonial arrangement, and the ladies from the Japanese Embassy prepared the arrangement for the embassy. The exhibition ikebana was created by 9 groups of Manila Chapter members. Each group had a theme related to the exhibit theme, and group members did either indi vidual arrangements or collaborated to do a group arrangement. The 9 themes were: 1) Twigs and foliage 2) Fabulous
(l) Saphire Anniversary Exhibition poster; (below) ikebana by Chapter President Myrna Hallare
Bermuda #180 Bermuda
sculptural lines of an arrangement. The first example utilized bamboo, Australian fiddlewood, and curling aspidistra leaves. The second arrangement made use of New Zealand flax, aspidistra leaves, and snake plant. Both presented bold, dramatic lines in order to achieve strong sculptural statements. Attendees attempted one or two of their own interpretations. It was a fruitful morning, filled with learning good skills for future ikebana arrangements.
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On May 12, 2012, a workshop based on the sculptural design elements of an ar rangement was given by Bryony Harvey of the Ohara School. The demonstration was followed by two strong, wonderful examples of the strengths involved in the dynamics of presenting the
Demonstration by Bryony Harvey
50th Anniversary Celebrations
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Adelaide
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Manila #108 Philippines
food from our gardens 3) Appreciating nature’s architects 4) Sculptured pottery 5) Simplicity and elegance with recycled materials 6) Nature’s paintings 7) Elements of the earth 8) Simplified arrangement 9) Leaves and life. The exhibition was open to the public March 3 to 4, 2012.
Sculptural Design
Bermuda
Children, Ikebana, and Smiles
I k e b a n a I n t e r n a t i o n a l | Vol. 57 Issue 1, October 2012
Adelaide #61 Australia
On Saturday, April 21, 2012, Adelaide Chapter welcomed sixty-five mem bers and guests to its 50th Anniversary celebrations. President Eleanor Chiew acknowledged special guests and gave a brief history of the chapter, which included a video presentation of chapter activities from the earliest days. Then Adam Wynn, Honorary Consul-General of Japan in South Australia, said a few well-chosen words. And the special treat: Elizabeth Angell, Riji of the Sogetsu School (who had flown from Melbourne for the occasion) gave an inspiring demonstration of Sogetsu ikebana with the assistance of her student Sandra Gawthorpe. The celebrations then moved to an adjacent area, where all attending appreciated and enjoyed the display of ikebana by chapter members, a Chapter President and Past Presidents cutting anniversary cake
Arranged by Nea Willits
fine finger-food lunch, 50th anniversary cake, and a glass of champagne. The following day, fifteen participants attended a four-hour Sogetsu workshop conducted by Elizabeth Angell. The weekend’s celebrations were a great success, and we have been very gratified by the compliments and expressions of thanks received from all who attended.
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Chapter
Activities
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Santiago
Ikebana with the Ikebana at the Palace Chilean Palm Rehab & Nursing Center
Songs of the Earth
Santiago #103 Chile
Miami #131 USA
San Francisco Bay #31 USA
Santiago Chapter had a stimulat ing and unusual exhibition on June 13, 2012, at the Corposacion Cultural Corabineros de Chile. The theme was Ikebana with the Chilean Palm [Jubaea chilensis]. This unusual tree is native to the central valley of Chile. Its sap is sweet and can be made into a syrup and wine. The fruit is also edible. All arrangements in the exhibition, a joint effort of Sogetsu and Ohara schools— incorporated some part of the Chilean palm—fronds, fruit and fruit bunches, wood, etc. This coordinated effort of two major schools, focused on an unusual plant material, received public attention and created an awareness of ikebana in Chile. The exhibition attracted about 300 visitors.
Miami Chapter decided to do a community service event and held a demonstration and workshop for 10 wheelchair bound residents at a local nursing home. Five chapter members volunteered for the program. Mieko Kubota did the demonstration while Ellen Weston, Betty Ahing, Ines Mander, and Linda Curle assisted residents in making their arrangements. Ines was also able to translate English to Spanish for those residents who only spoke Spanish. Holding the flowers brought happy smiles to their faces as they made their own ar rangements. Each person hugged their flowers closely as they were wheeled from the room.
At the chapter meet ing on April 20, 2012, at the San Francisco County Fair Building, chapter member Thanh Nguyen gave a stimulating and auspicious demonstration, creating a number of dynamic arrangements under the theme Songs of the Earth.
San Francisco Bay
Miami
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An audience of more than 100 people enjoyed watching demonstrator Thanh Nguyen’s team help her create a large-scale arrangement of bamboo, passion vine, croton leaves at her Songs of the Earth.
Rochester #53 USA
(l) Sogetsu arrangements using Chilean palm; (r) exhibition poster
Linda Curle and new ikebanists
Fire–Water–Wind–Earth Zurich #214 Switzerland
Zurich
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Again Zurich Chapter was invited to par ticipate in Giardina, the annual garden and lifestyle exhibition, the biggest in Switzerland, held at the huge Exhibition Center on the outskirts of Zurich. Of the 57,000 visitors, many had no idea about ikebana, yet admired our arrangements and appreciated the calm atmosphere or our booth. Each exhibitor had a unique interpretation of the theme: The Four Elements. Besides the many beautiful individual arrangements, the attention of the visitors was drawn to the 13 mini-landscapes, called Hosun-Moribana, presented by Ohara Master Hildegard Eilmann and her students. This year’s exhibition ended with a special highlight: our booth
was awarded the bronze medal in the cat egory Floristics and Design 2012. What an honor for our chapter! Again we were able to present our art to people who normally would never have contact with ikebana. Chapter president Angelika Kilp (r) receiving the Bronze Medal
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branches. So appropriate for a spring workshop as we watch the cycle of life begin anew in our gardens. In the afternoon, Saskia Eller presented an informative program on how to design and plant an ikebana garden. She gave us a wonderful chart handout that indicated which flowers or shrubs would grow where and when in our particular zone. We were reminded to track the sunlight before digging to be sure to have the proper amount of sunlight or shade for whatever we are planting. Sounds obvious, but often we forget.
At the chapter meeting on April 19, 2012, when I first saw the buckets of straight branches of yellow twig dogwood at the tables, I thought a terrible mistake had been made in the choice of materials for our workshop. How were we going to create curved lines with those sticks, I wondered?! Boy, was I surprised when Sogetsu teacher Yuko Matsuda showed us how to create all sorts of loops, hoops, and circles by gently bending what turned out to be very malleable branches. We learned to pay attention to the shape and lines, to consider color and volume or mass…to think of ikebana as sculpture. Yuko explained how curved lines in an arrangement can express a sense of rhythm and give the feeling of energy. Participants then experi mented with various bending techniques to make lyrical Joan Murphy displays her curved line Sogetsu arrangement lines, even circles, with the
Rochester
Composition of Curved Lines
Yuko Matsuda bending the branches for her arrangement
I k e b a n a I n t e r n a t i o n a l | Vol. 57 Issue 1, October 2012
Bangkok #177 Thailand
On July 18, 2012, Mr. Navarat Lekhakula, a Misho School master, introduced the evolution of the floral offerings to the Lord Buddha and demonstrated some floral arrangements, using lotus and other Thai flowers. His ideas and philosophy were very interesting. Members and guests felt a closer understanding of the real concepts of ikebana. There was also a small exhibition of ikebana arrangements by members of Bangkok Chapter. Bangkok
Mr. Navarat Lekhakula demonstrating an ikebana arrangement
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Pretoria #179 South Africa
During May 2012, Pretoria Chapter staged a wellattended exhibition to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the chapter. Mrs. Fumiko Yoshizawa, wife of the Ambassador of Japan to South Africa, officially opened the memorable event for the chapter. This is the second time around for Ambassador and Mrs. Yoshizawa. Leaf ing through the chapter’s history book, members were delighted to see photos of them attending the opening of an exhibition of the chapter in March 1997. Two founding members also attended. They were part of the group who started studying ikebana in 1971 in Pretoria. To celebrate the 35th anniversary of the chapter, members staged a well-attended exhibition during May 2012.
Sarasota #115 USA
Sarasota Chapter held the 44th Annual Exhibition of chapter member’s ikebana on February 25 and 26, 2012, at the Man sion of Selby Gardens. We had 42 arrangements representing several schools. The theme of the exhibition was Fantastic Ikebana. Approximately 3,000 visitors enjoyed the beautiful arrangements and the daily demonstrations. Sarasota
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Patricia Bonarek made an outstanding large arrangement at the front entrance of the Mansion at the Selby Gardens of Sarasota, Florida for our 44th Annual Exhibition. The theme of the fans was carried out in the split bamboo structure, the flowers and plant material representing the Florida landscape.
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Johor Bahru #235 Malaysia
The ladies and gentlemen of JB Chapter came together in full force to celebrate our 21st Annual Exhibition from May 22 to 24, 2012. It was held at KSL Shopping Mall foyer to create public awareness of the art of ikebana and its existence in JB. Thirty members showed up in full support to put together arrangements using tropical flowers with the theme of Tropical Ikebana. Mr. Tetsumi Murata, Consul General of Japan to Johor and Guest of Honor, officiated at the opening by placing a stalk of heliconia into an arrangement. He gave a short speech of appreciation, stating that the Consul Office would continue to have a cordial working relationship with the chapter. Mr. Andy D’jati Utomo, a talented Ikenobo artist, demon strated Ikenobo arrangements and tips and tricks to share with the audience.
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1. Asheville #74, Moribana by Sibbie Wilson (Ohara) 2. Sydney #36, Weaving and shredding New Zealand flax, Shirley Ma (Sogetsu) 3. Belfast #207, Handmade container by Norma Patton
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Andy D’jati Utomo shares tips and tricks with the audience.
Baskets and Ikebana Melbourne 29 Australia
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Melbourne
Fantastic Ikebana
Tropical Ikebana
Johor Bahru
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Celebrating 35th Anniversary Pretoria
Lord Buddha: Ikebana Offerings
Three members of the Basketmakers of Victoria joined our meeting on April 10, 2012, and introduced chapter members to the art of basket weaving. Each outlined a personal journey in basket weaving and showed examples of her work. For one, this included previously learning ikebana. We all tried our hand at making natural string from dried flax—which could be used in ikebana. The basketry they brought varied from spherical woven shapes to small pots, open containers, and more traditional baskets. Ikebana arrangements using baskets was the theme Chieko Yazaki and for member displays, some using items previously obtained Eiko Roskram, from Basketmakers Association members. Other baskets II members, learning weaving technique included traditional Japanese baskets and indigenous from Maree Brown baskets, using a wide variety of plant material.
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Chapter
Activities
Cologne #126 Germany
Origami Johannesburg #110 South Africa
Tokyo Founding Japan
Tokyo Founding Chapter’s 55th Anniversary Ex hibition was held at Hotel Okura Tokyo on March 2, 2012. Nine schools and more than 100 members created beautiful works to celebrate the event. At the commemoration luncheon, headmasters and headmistresses of ikebana schools and an honorary advisor of TFC spoke about the chapter’s history. After the party, a tape cutting ceremony was held in front of the exhibition hall. The stream of visitors continued throughout the day despite heavy rain that day, and the hall vibrant and alive. A “tower of flowers” was set up in the exhibition hall as a memorial to the East Japan Earthquake disaster victims, and attendees and guests placed flowers in the tower.
St. Andrew Chapter #156 was founded in March 1970 in Kingston, Jamaica and obtained its chartered status on March 15, 1972. The chapter celebrated the 40th Anniversary of its chartered status by staging a Flower and Tea Show at the Knutsford Court Hotel, Kingston, Jamaica on March 25, 2012. It was a very successful and well-attended event as evidenced by an attendance of 145 persons. Special guests were the Ambassador of Japan, His Excellency Hiroshi Yamaguchi, and his wife, Mrs. Yoko Yamaguchi, who is the patron of the chapter. Ambassador Yamaguchi
greeted the audience and spoke briefly on the close relationship between the chapter and the Japanese Embassy. He performed a musical piece on his violin, which delighted the audience. There were two demonstra tions by members from the Ichiyo and Sogetsu schools. Several arrangements by members of three schools— Ichiyo, Sogetsu and Ohara—were on show at the event and included mini arrangements in tea cups, which were used to decorate the tables. These were sold at the end of the show to assist with the chapter’s charity donation to a home for children who are mentally and physically disabled in Kingston, Jamaica. The 40th Anniversary Flower and Tea Show served to highlight and enhance the awareness of the ikebana schools operating in Jamaica, thus spreading Ikebana International’s message of friendship through flowers. St. Andrew
St. Andrew #156 Jamaica
(l) Origami boxes made by chapter members (above)
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Osaka
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On April 29, 2012, instead of Osaka Chapter’s regular meeting, we held our 21st Annual Festival 2012 at Osaka International House. About 1,000 people came to this festival, and many members exhibited ikebana. We also held an ikebana workshop for overseas students. To celebrate the event the chapter had a tea ceremony room and held a bazaar. The income from the bazaar was donated to the International House summer school, which is promoted by the Osaka International House Founda tion. Entertainment was traditional comic storytelling (rakugo) in English by Mr. Kaishi Katsura. Mr. Katsura’s bright wit and talent entertained us greatly. Ikebana workshop for overseas students.
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It’s a Small World After All
Charlotte
Osaka #234 Japan
40th Anniversary Flower & Tea Show
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55th Anniversary Commemorative Exhibition
21st Annual Festival Johannesburg
On March 20, 2012, Johan nesburg Chapter had an origami workshop. Mo toko Ueda (Sogetsu School) showed us how to make an origami box and ball. All members made one of each and made small arrangements in their own origami boxes.
TFC
Tokyo Founding
Cologne
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On October 22 and 23, 2011, Cologne Chapter held an exhibition on the occa sion of the chapter’s 40th anniversary. The motto of the exhibition was Blumenfreu(n)de—40 Jahre Ikebana International Köln. Blumenfreu(n)de has a double meaning: “flower friends” and “flower joy.” Cologne Chapter’s 40th anniversary fell into the same year in which we celebrated 150 years of friendship between Japan and Germany. (The signing of the “Friendship, Commerce, and Navigation” treaty by Shogun Iemochi Tokugawa and Prussian Statesman Count Friedrich Albrecht zu Eulenburg on January 24, 1861, laid the foundation for the continued friendship between Japan and Germany.) This anniversary occasioned the declaration of 2011 as a Jubilee Year under the patronage of German Federal President Christian Wulff and Crown Prince Naruhito of Japan, and Cologne Chapter’s exhibition was part of the official commemorative events.
Charlotte #49 USA
The theme of Char lotte’s Spring Show on February 29 through March 4, 2012 at the Park Expo and Conference Center was musically inspired gardens, floral arrangements and bonsai. The Charlotte Chapter exhibited eleven ikebana arrangements from the Ikenobo, Ohara and Sogetsu schools. The musical theme was It’s a Small World After All. Over 50,000 people attended the show.
Ikebana International Misaki Bldg. 5F, 3-28-9 Kanda Ogawamachi Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0052 JAPAN ikebana@ikebanaHQ.org www.ikebana.org