Simplified Arrangements

This is my last class for the Mary and Norman Sparnon Scholarship programme. I had mixed feelings about this amazing journey coming to an end but on the other hand I felt excited because the ‘end’ is actually the start of a new journey with my ikebana.

Today I choose to do Simplified Arrangements this was because not knowing what to do I asked one of the Atelier Staff to select my material without me knowing or indicating to him what I would like. He chose a beautiful pink/green hydrangea and a branch material with no leaves but interesting lines. Seeing the material I found a container I had no seen before. The secret to finding new containers is to climb the ladder and search at the back of each shelf where there is a treasure trove of great containers, (a little inside information for anyone attending classes at Sogetsu Headquarters in Tokyo).

The Master instructor today was Mrs Koka Fukushima who like all the other instructors was very supportive and encouraging of where I wanted to take my work. Because the hydrangea was so beautiful I was reluctant to cut stem short, so are I arranged it is three stages, tall, low and in the water. Each arrangement in my eyes was beautiful and each conveyed something very different.

With the hydrangea still virtually in one piece I selected another container arranging the branch outside the container yet one of its forks looks like the stem of the hydrangea. I often say to my student s ikebana is like ‘creating magic or optical illusions’ and this was one case.

Summer is fast approaching and I have noticed both Master instructors and students are creating cool looking arrangements, lots of green leaves, or the use of water either in glass or large Moribana containers. Mrs Koka Fukushima demonstrated a beautiful and very simple arrangement with a lovely cooling effect.