Summer Ikebana

It's almost the end of June, and the rainy season has started here where I live. Usually during this time of year, it is hot and humid. But this year, it has been unseasonably cool -- which I love! We've had a few hot days, but they've been few and far between. I wish this trend in the weather would last all summer, but I'm sure it will be hot and humid again and I will be wishing for the cold and snow of winter. Until the cooler winter comes, I try to cool myself off with my ikebana arrangements.

In Ohara-ryu, part of the beauty of the arrangements is the way careful attention is paid to the seasons and how to portray them indoors in a confined container. During the summer months, flowers, branches, and leaves are abundant. Different colors, shapes, and textures give you so many options to choose from. I try to choose things that look cool and refreshing and also show off the water of the container, helping to give a cool and refreshing feeling to the work.

A couple of weeks ago, I did a natural summer landscape. My image was that of a bank beside a flowing stream.  I used the Japanese natsu haze branch as my basis to fill out the space and reach across the water's surface. I added a few Hosta leaves to emphasise the land, and then used a single Star Lily to fill in the space and become the star of the arrangement. I tried to be careful with the placement, puling the Lily forward and giving the sense of a cool breeze. I also trimmed many leaves off of the natsu haze branch to also give a sense of lightness to the work. If there are too many leaves, it feels crowded and hot. Trimming the leaves is one of the hardest things to do for me. If you take too many off, the branch looks naked, but if you leave to many on, it feels hot and crowded. But this time, I think I struck the perfect balance.



Summer Natural Landscape arrangement
Natsu Haze, Hosta Leaves, Star Lily


Having an arrangement like this brings the outside in and also gives the sense of a cool breeze on a hot summer day.


Last week, I wanted to do another typical summer arrangement. I did a Traditional Color Scheme Arrangement using Hosta leaves and Chrysanthemum in the Upright Style. Here in Japan, Hosta plants are everywhere, and they represent summer to me. In this style, the position and angle of three of the stems are set, but once you have the basic form of the arrangement, you can play with the lengths and angles of the other stems. The Hosta leaves also have a cooling effect for me. And if you spray water on the leaves, the water beads up, giving a glistening effect to the leaves making them seem even more cool. They are definitely one of my favorite materials to work with.



Traditional Color Scheme Arrangement
Hosta Leaves and Chrysanthemum


I tried to use a paper background for the first time. I thought it might make it look a little more professional and bring more attention to the flowers. What do you think?

So if you are feeling hot this summer, try some cool, refreshing flowers to cool you off.

Spring Exhibition

Every year, during May, there is a prefectural-wide ikebana exhibition. Different schools of ikebana participate over a 4 day period with a total of about 450 people exhibiting an arrangement. I took part and made an arrangement using green and white, something that I thought would look fresh and bright.

I went to the flower shop the day before the exhibition and chose my flowers. I was excited with the combination of flowers and the different colors and textures of the materials. I went to the exhibition hall and did my arrangement the evening before the opening of the exhibition. I thought it turned out very nice.

Radial Form with Cala Lily and Hydrangea

The white hydrangea added a nice weight to the arrangement that pulled the two sides of the form together, balancing the different materials to the left and right of the center. But, I was a little worried -- hydrangea are notorious for not absorbing water and wilting quickly. I had applied some "magic medicine" to the stems to help the flowers absorb the water and thought that I would be OK.

The next morning, before the exhibition opened to the public, I went to check on the flowers. And yes, the top hydrangea had wilted! I had a little less than an hour to do something before the doors opened, so I rushed to the flower shop and tried to find something else to replace the hydrangea. Luckily, they had some white lilies, so I bought three stems and raced back to the exhibition hall. By that time, I only had about 30 minutes left to change my arrangement. I carefully pulled out the hydrangea and inserted the lilies. I also rearranged the small ball-like flowers and finished just before the first people arrived.

Radial Form with Cala Lily and white Lily

I was happy with the result, but liked the first arrangement better. If I had had more time, I would have taken everything out of the vase and rearranged the materials. Oh, well. . . it still looked fresh and bright! Needless to say, the arrangement held though the rest of the exhibition.

Bamboo Bow Tie

My friend has a small design business. In the past he has designed lady's bags; but recently, he has delved into men's fashion. His first project -- a bamboo bow tie. A very unique and beautiful item that combines the Japanese aesthetic of nature with the Western style of men's fashion. I love it!

He asked me to be the model for the bow tie. I said sure and put on several of my best "model" faces and posed for the camera. We had a lot of fun taking the pictures!

Tiger Bamboo Bow Tie with my "pensive" face

My "serious/mean" face with the Studded Bow Tie

After we were done taking the pictures of me wearing the bow tie, we took some photos of just the bow tie.



I curved the stem of a calla Lily to fit inside this black serving dish


To see the finished product, check his site SHUU Japan.

Now I just need some event to go to so I can wear one of his beautiful pieces.

Flower Artist Azuma Makoto -- Amazing!

I think of ikebana as an art form, one that has been in practice and development for over 500 years. What originally started out as an offering to Buddha has evolved into an art form for the modern age.

Azuma Makoto, a Japanese flower artist, has taken the art of flowers to another level. He has approached the world of flowers as an artist, not someone who does ikebana. He has truly created a new art form that expresses the beauty of flowers in new and unusual ways. One word to describe his work -- amazing!

add campaign for AQUOS tvs*

frozen flowers*

frozen flowers with a pine tree suspended in a metal frame with wire*

a moss instillation*

exhibit for the Shanghai Exhibition last year*

He is also a performance artist. Watch this mesmerizng video of him arranging flowers, all behind a screen, so all you see is the shadow.



Click here for his site to see more pictures and videos. Simply amazing!

*all pictures taken from his site

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! I hope that everyone had a great time over the holidays.

I had a wonderful time at home in Arkansas over Christmas -- lots of shopping and eating and visiting with family, and a relaxing new year here in Japan. I've had a little over three weeks off from work and have enjoyed every minute of it. I hope I can remember how to teach when I have to go back to work tomorrow. . .

The first ikebana that you do for the new year is called 初生け, hatsu ike. Usually, I don't do much during this time of year. There are no lessons, and I'm usually too busy relaxing to do anything. But this year, a friend of mine asked me to do something for his shop window. I had never done anything like this before, but I thought it would be a good challenge for me (I want to challenge myself more this year in ikebana) and get the new year started off right.

For New Year, pine is a popular item to use. It is a long lasting material, strong in the cold weather, and green during the white winter. I thought that I would use three different types of pine to make an arrangement. My friend had a beautiful vase that his grandmother had made, and I thought it would be perfect for the arrangement.

Finished?

After finishing the arrangement, I thought that it looked good, but it was missing something. It needed a little something to make it gorgeous, to show it off for the New Year. I went home and made a small pick of gold to go in the arrangement. I used some gold paper to fold a couple of fans and then used mizuhiki to make some bands of gold to go along with it.

Finished!

I think the little bit of gold sets off the arrangement and gives it the special "New Year" feel. I have to admit, I have driven by the shop several times to see the piece in the window. You don't often get to see your works out in the public like this. Kind of exciting!

It was a good experience for me and got me motivated to do something at home.

New Year's Eve

New Year's Day with the morning light on the flowers

While home for Christmas, I also did a few arrangements.

Mom's dining room table

Five little arrangements along the table runner.

The red lamp was my father's mother's lamp.

I also went to my grandmother's house to decorate her table for her.

View from above

Circular Form with calla lilies

I think I have started the year off right. I plan on challenging myself more this year and hope to grow more in my ikebana.

I hope everyone has a great New Year! May the year bring you family, friends, laughter, and love.