Ikenobo Demonstration and Workshop

Kazuko Rand, 3rd Grade Assistant Professor in the Ikenobo School of Ikebana,  gave a demonstration at Havenwoods Environmental Center in Milwaukee. She began with a talk on people's connection with Ikebana and it's being a temporary art form, not like a painting or sculpture.

The artist must be at peaceful harmony with the plant material as they design because it is an expression of the mind. Because it is living material it must be treated with respect. Once it is cut from nature it must be arranged more beautifully than it was originally grown. The artist must make a psychological and spiritual connection with the material. The plant material is most often trimmed to bring out the beauty of the line. In Ikenobo Ikebana there is a "clean" area of stem rising about 3" above the container rim signifying "new life". All the stems of the design are arranged in a row to emphasize this one point of emergence. The tops of the stems are placed to flow right and left, forward and backward creating width and depth to the design.

Single material front view

Single material (Sansavaria)  side view

 In Kazuko's demonstration she focused on Classical Shoka Style (Heaven, Man and Earth) using first only one material, then two and then three. These are ascending or upright forms usually arranged in a tall style container. The plant material is held in placed by a kenzan, or needle pin holder sometimes called a frog. All the plant material is placed as if it were growing towards the sun either to the right or to the left. There is a sunny side and a shadow side to the design.

Two materials

The classes version

Three materials

Kazuko followed her demonstration with a workshop featuring Sanshuike Style. This style of flower arrangement was introduced as a modern Shoka Style in the 1950's adding to the previous Classical Shoka Style. This Free Style floral art includes three types of plant material. Shoka Style gives one the opportunity to learn how to use limited materials in an effective way while not losing the classical sentiment.

The others on display

Mine


Even thought I study Ichiyo Ikebana ,
I enjoyed these classes very much.

My first attempt  re-done at home