Ikebana lesson 3/30/2007 (II)

Materials:
Eileen
(1) Bear grass, coffee bean
(2) Kangroo paw, tiger lily, New Zealand Flax
Ping
(3) New Zealand Flax, tiger lily
(4) Kangroo paw, Sun flowers

Ikebana lesson 3/30/2007

Materials: Kangroo paw, tiger lily
First Variation upright, Nageire;
Basic slanting, Nageire;
Basic upright, Nageire;
Basic slanting, moribana
First Variation, slanting, moribana

ikebana lesson 3/23/2007

Today's lesson plan:
Eileen--Free style, sketching-arranging-sketching. Material: (1) Sago palm, lily; (2) Honeu suckle branch, lily, winter berry.
When materials are gethered and container is selected, study them by drawing the arrangement on paper, then arrange them in the way you are intended, it may be different from the drawing, but it's OK. After finish the arrangement, draw again.
I use this technique every time I do a free style arrangement. When I prepare for demonstration, I gather materials and draw. I usually don't do a real arrangment in preparation stage. That's why drawings are so important. They are guiidelines for my demonstration, Without them, demonstration is impossible.
Donna and Linda--Basic slanting, moribana. Material: Sago palm, lily.
Harumi--basic upright, moribana. Material: creosote, mum.

Ikebana lesson 3/9/2007

Eileen's projects were arrangements viewed from all angles. One was moribana, the other was nageire.
Donna's project was basic slanting moribana. Linda's was basic upright nageire reverse.

Phoenix Art Museum Arts and Flowers/more pictures

Two more pictures from Phoenix Art Museum Arts and Flower exhibition.Because flash light is not allowed in PAM, I really cannot get a good shot.

Phoenix Art Museum Arts and Flowers

I participated again in this years Arts & Flowers exhibition at Phoenix Art Museum. Floral designers chose the art works they were interested in, and try to intepret with flowers. I chose two pieces of art works. One is Turbull's sculpture, displayed in Modern Art Gallery. The other one is Thai Buddha torso in Asian Art Gallery.
My floral design is not to intepret the art work, rather inspired by them. So, to accompany Turbull's sculpture, I used my own black ceramic vase, with two queen palm seed pods sprayed with black paint to form an interesting structure, or sculpture if you prefer. Then I used horse tail, and protea to have a touch of Ikebana expression. (Ikebana uses fresh materials.)
For Thai Buddha's torso, my idea was to offer flowers and pay respect. (Otherwise, how would you intepret it.)

Silk flower arrangement in Ikebana way

I did this silk arrangement for a couple living in north Scottsdale. You can use less flowers if they are fresh, because they are living materials, they bring energy together. On the other hand, you need lots of silk flowers to bring the volumes up. I think the silk flower arrangement works in this case.

New material study

Sogetsu Ikebana always encourages using different materials. I collected a few palm tree stems. Tried a few ways to put them together. It ended up like this (see picture).

Matsuri Festival 2/24-25/2007

Ikebana lesson 3/3/2007