50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION PREPARATIONS

This has been a busy week with continuing preparations for the Victorian Branch of the Sogetsu School's 50th anniversary celebrations that I mentioned last week. I am responsible for the members' exhibition and one of the tasks has been to paint all of the plinths needed. 



Below is the promotional material for the two major public events for the week. For people in Melbourne on Wednesday May 21st the demonstration by Mr Kawana will be a must see. If you are quick you will be able to get a ticket through the following link. Click on the coloured text: Mr Tetsunori Kawana's demonstration.



Otherwise please come and see the members' exhibition at the Yarra Gallery in the building pictured below. The exhibition will be open from 11.00 am to 6.00 pm Tuesday 20th to Sunday 25th May.


This week's ikebana is student work from a recent class I gave. The first exercise 'Showing the lines at the base' is from Book 3 of the Sogetsu curriculum. This exercise requires clear strong lines rising cleanly from the vase. The first example is by Marcia who has used bare branches forming a strong vertical movement with Manchurian Pear (pyrus ussuriensis) leaves as an accent. 


My correction for this work was to place the leaves to the rear of the right hand branch. This has emphasised the strong vertical line on the left of the arrangement thus drawing our eyes up and then down again to the vase


The second arrangement, by Niki, is shown after 'correction'. The lines at the base are emphasised by being separated into two uneven groups creating a space between the lines. The asymmetrical arrangement of the spent flower heads brings the lines together at the top of the work. The lily flower in the centre reaches forward and the bud to the rear giving the work depth.



The third arrangement by Margaret is also from Book 3 of the curriculum: using 'Colours in the Same Tonal Range'. The materials are a yellow strelitzia, chrysanthemums and berries. Her bold arrangement brings the rich feeling of autumn colours enhanced by a strong yellow vase.




(Click on coloured text to link to Emily Karanilolopoulos' Tokyo blog)

Greetings from Christopher
9th May 2014

1 comment:

  1. Your students made lovely arrangements, I really enjoyed seeing their creations and the materials they choose to work with.

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