Ikebana lessons 12/27/2007

This is the last blog for the year 2008. What a year! I have posted 88 blogs. Not a bad number. Though I wish I could've spent a little bit of more time on each blog to write down a few comments on each arrangement. I have quite a few talented students. They made some beautiful arrangements throughout the year. The 2009 Calendar is a success. Now, I have to be concerned about the calendar for 2010. Not because I don't have enough arrangements I could use. I'm concerned because I will have too many to choose from. How can I put everyone's favorite arrangements into a small calendar.

I'm looking forward to the new year, 2009. I'm happy to see students grown. Their success is my success. Here, success is measured by their joy, their excitement. They know they are getting better. They are more confident in handling botanic materials. Artistically, their minds are more open. I hope they can see ikebana the way as I see ikebana. Ikebana has given me unlimited inspiration to my artistic creativity. Ikebana is not just arranging flowers. It's a multi-disciplined art. It's a sculpture, a painting, a dance, a gesture, a smile, and a way of life.

I love a quote from Sofu Teshigahara, which, actually was translated from a Chinese poem, "Hana o mi, mata, hana o miru." ("Look at the flowers, again, look at them.") I also love a quote from Georgia O'Keeffe, "Nobody sees a flower, really--it is so small--we haven't time, and to see takes time, like to have a friend takes time." I hope more people can take some time to look at flowers, and look at them again.

There are a few ikebana exhibitions at museums in the first three months of the year. I hope we all can participate in the exhibitions. (see schedule from my website.) We can create beautiful ikebana arrangements for people to enjoy, and hopefully, they will take some time.

Happy new year.


(1) Yuko, free style, one material

(2), (3) Ping, free style

(4) Donna, No. 8 Variation, moribana/moribana

(5) Wei, straight lines

(6), (7) Kelly, No 4 variations

(8), (9), (10) Sandy, Variations and free style

ikebana study 12/19/08

(1), (2) Sandy, basic slanting nageire and No. 1 Variation upright moribana


(3) Yuko, free style


(4) Momoe, free style


(5) Ping, free style


(6) Patricia, basic upright


(7) Eileen, free style


(8) Yuko, free style


(9) Alice, free style


(10) Mary, No 3 variation nageire

ikebana study 12/12/08

A few free style study:

(1) Eileen, arrangement with dry materials, pay attention to the container and the area of placement

(2) Yuko, same theme, same materials

(3) Eileen

(4) Wei, ka-bu-wa-ke

(5) Yuko, emphasizing lines at the base

ikebana study 12/5/08

One leave, one flower, it's challenging, yet fun to make an meaningful arrangement. I used a half of a new zealand flex leave in this arrangement.

One of the sogetsu ikebana's principles is that any materials can be used in an arrangement. Try that.

ikebana lesson 12/05/2008

(1) Yuko, free style/sketch & arrange


(2), (3) Sandy, basic upright


(4) Yuko, intertwine


(5) Eileen, intertwine


(6) Momoe, free, special material


(7) Alice, free


(8) Wei, horizontal


(9) Mary, free


(10) Donna C., No. 6 variation

ikebana lesson 11/28/2008

(1) Yuko, repeating form

(2) Sandy, Basic upright

(3) Janelle, Basic upright

(4) Donna, No. 5 variation

(5) Yuko, surface by lines

(6) Mary, surface by lines

Ikebana lesson on 112208

(1), (2) Kelly, No. 3 variation


(3) Sandy, basic upright

Ikebana Study

Saturday's class usually is a small class, which gives myself time to study a few arrangements before and after the class. I have three new zealand flex leaves left over from previous class. I decided to study arrangements with intertwine technique. It was fun to do a few with the same material. Some were good. Some were not that good. Anyway, only practice can make it "perfect".