Together Setsuko Kennedy and Masako Crawford gave a workshop using only one kind of material

October 10, 2021 Ikebana Wellington

Masako arranged pine in a tall shell-case container

Due to the latest Covid lockdown, our Ikebana Exhibition as part of the Spring Festival at the Botanic Gardens was cancelled but we were lucky to have two teachers team leading our October workshop.

Setsuko Kennedy who has been a teacher for some years, but hadn’t led a workshop for our group and Masako Crawford who gained her teaching certificate earlier this year demonstrated using ‘Only One Kind of Material’ from Sogetsu Book 4, pages 68-69.

Setsuko and Masako gave us this guidance beforehand:

“In this lesson, we can use the keen observation of the materials we have learned by picking up the unique feature of the material. We refer to Mr Sofu Teshigahara’s Principle 33, “Select a container that accentuates the beauty of the ikebana arrangement”. Unusual vases or addition of stones or driftwood could enhance the arrangement.”

It was a great to get together in a safe spacious venue and everyone enjoyed doing ikebana together.

Helen accepting her Teacher's Certificate from Elizabeth

Satomi with her Teacher's certificate

Setsuko showing her arrangements using Chatham Island forget-me-nots and camellia

Masako showing her arrangement using pine

Masako with hers and Sesuko's arrangements

Setsuko arranged Chatham Island forget-me-nots in an interesting vase

Setsuko used camellias in a triangular container

Masako arranged taupata around a large stone

Kate arranged grass in a round container

Kate arranged dark magnolia material in a tall container

Yoko arranged arum lilies in a shallow container

Satomi arranged arum lilies in an interesting container

Satomi used agapanthus material in a beautiful vase

Nicole arranged kawakawa with stones in a low container

Lyn used two containers and arranged weeping blossom and ameria (little pink pompoms) material

Adriana used varigated lily leaves in an interesting container

Julie arranged clivias in a pair of glass containers

Helen used bird of paradise material in a tall container

Elizabeth arranged cherry blossom material in an interesting container

Sandi arranged azalea in a blue vase

Kathy arranged clivias in a pair of black containers

A Workshop from Helen on using Seasonal Materials for Spring

September 26, 2021 Ikebana Wellington

Helen arranged spring flowers and branches in a tall, blue container

Helen led our September workshop on the theme “Seasonal arrangements for Spring”. We used anything that was flowering at present including some new leaves showing on bare branches. We could choose of moribana or nageire, freestyle or following a lesson. It was a lovely opportunity to celebrate getting back together after 3 weeks in lockdown.

Masako used Spring blossom in a nageire container

Kathy arranged dark magnolia in an interesting container

Lyn arranged a variety of Spring flowers in two containers

Adriana used camellias in a moribana container

Elizabeth used Spring foliage and flowers in a moribana container

Setsuko used kale and camellia in a nageire container

Sandi arranged tulips and foliage in a narrow-necked container

Maria arranged Bells of Ireland with a single leaf in an interesting vase

Helen arranged Spring material in an interesting tall vase

Yoko used daffodils and Spring foliage in an interesting container

Elizabeth demonstrated how to create an arrangement using New Zealand materials.

August 10, 2021 Ikebana Wellington

Elizabeth used taupata with shiny leaves and korokia in mass in a double container

Elizabeth gave us guidance for her workshop using New Zealand materials. We were encouraged to choose leaves, grasses, berries and dried materials. We created arrangements using a great variety of New Zealand materials.