Ikebana and us

Do take those flowers when visiting somebody in the hospital, maybe an Ikebana arrangement? Or better still a potted plant!! MANHATTAN, KS—Contact with nature has long been suspected to increase positive feelings, reduce stress, and provide distraction from the pain associated with recovery from surgery. Now, research has confirmed the beneficial effects of plants and flowers for patients recovering from abdominal surgery. A recent study by Seong-Hyun Park and Richard H. Mattson, researchers from the Department of Horticulture, Recreation and Forestry at Kansas State University, provides strong evidence that contact with plants is directly beneficial to a hospital patient's health. Using various medical and psychological measurements, the study set out to evaluate if plants in hospital rooms have therapeutic influences. Studies show that when patients have great stress associated with surgery, they typically experience more severe pain and a slower recovery period. Some of these p...

Here is Iemoto Akane Teshigahara's arrangement for January 2009. She describes it as follows : "As one of “Saikansanyu (Three Winter Favorites: pine, bamboo and plum),” bamboo is a key material for festive arrangements. With the smooth bamboo texture and neatened pine and Japanese winterberry branches, it's a very light-looking arrangement. Cattleya inserted at the end makes the point of emphasis." Pine, Japanese winterberry, Cattleya Bamboo vase 45×62×33cm

It was a tiring day under the spotlights - for the carnations, lilies and chrysanthemums!  Our star performers were the models for photography students training at Shashikant Photography For us, it was a fascinating day, to see what a backdrop and different lighting can do to an ikebana arrangement, as a work of art. For each of these arrangements, the students would take almost half an hour, to organise the lighting, change the backdrop, shoot from different angles.  So we saw lights that hang overhead, spotlights that go on the backdrop, side lights, bottom lights, etc etc! Unfortunately, I only had my camera phone with me, and these are all the pictures I could muster! Sorry about this...it just will not straighten! The agency has a six month photography programme, and flower photography is just one of the themes they cover.  They also have a lovely Flower series , stock photos that you can purchase from them.

It was my first experience with a Japanese tea ceremony here in Madras, and quite an event it was! Organised at the Japanese Consulate, it may have been sniffed at by the purists, but for us non-Japanese, it was a whiff of their culture, zen thought and philosophy. So much care, silence, the trickle of water, the appreciation of the tea cup, the deliberate cleaning of the serving cup and other implements.... All for a cup of tea you may ask?  Its not the end that matters but the process I guess! Take a look at all the implements that were involved. We were told that the whisk (that you see in the foreground) is ceremonially consigned to the temple fire, once a year in a special ceremony. Then there's a cloth to wipe the ladle, another to wipe out the guests' cup...all in all very complicated! One must make the time to relax, meditate, and calm the mind before having the energising tea! Above is the container holding the cool water.  This is poured deliberately into the boiler,...

Hello Group Does any one one our group have Vase of these colours. If yes, would you please be kind enough to lend it to me during the Exhibition - If you do not plant to do an arrangement in it?? I dont need the exact shape, but the colour combination somewhat matching this will do. Thanks a lot.

Sensei Malathi has added the following comment on the "No Kezan Workshop" - "Every time I see the report I feel the photoes are more gorgeous than what I saw with my own eyes, they seem as done by master of the art. Keep it up ladies and gentlemen..". Thank you so much Ma'am for such a big complement. It inspires me to become a Master of the Art. And I am sure, it does the same to others of our group. While browsing Keith Stanley's beautiful Ikebana website, I saw a blog titled "Sensei and Sensibility" and that prompts me to write the sensibility of a Sensei. I brought a Vases - a square mouthed with the 4 sides having the following : A pathway and a door, a street light, some calla lillies growing on the hedge, just a brick wall and some calla lillies . I liked the vase very much, but I was a bit taken back when I heard comments like "This is too picturey-picturey.." "I dont like it.." "I like cylindrical shaped vases ...

Sorry for this late post, but then better late than never isn't it?!  Here are the pictures from the no-kenzan workshop we had at Trishala's place, a couple of weeks ago. The pictures were taken from a phone-cam, so they do not do any justice to all the lovely arrangements, But anyway something is better than nothing! The early birds were all done and ready when we late-comers arrived, and so we did not witness their "struggle" to balance the material and achieve beauty without the convenience of a kenzan!  So, Trishala, Prerana, Seetha and Chitra sat smugly while the rest of us toiled at achieving this balance, combining the laws of gravity with aesthetics! Trishala  Trishala's arrangement went vertical, while Prerana took the horizontal route, both achieving grace in their lines, with the flowers adding a lovely focus. Prerana Seetha and Chitra decided to keep it low, and created these nice table arrangements. Seethalakshmi Chitra Molly took the branch lines tal...

Here is an arrangement that I would create after I become an Ikebana Master. For now, it has been done by Iemoto Akane Teshigahara which she descries as "This is a colorful arrangement that emphasizes the soaring appearance of cosmos, a flower representative of autumn." Container: Glass vase Beautiful, isnt it ??

Here is an arrangement by Iemoto Akane. Perhaps the simplicity is the most complex thing about Ikebana ?? She describes this particular arrangement as "It sticks to lucid colors that emphasize the shape and originality of the gourd-shaped bamboo vase that was placed horizontally." Container: Bamboo vase

I am fascinated with arrangements with lotus flowers or leaves. Here is a lovely arrangement by Iemoto Akane. It is described as "A powerful lotus arrangement in a small jade vase, the pomegranate fruits give movement to the overall." The Container is a Jade vase.

Click on the pictures and enjoy a full-screen view.  Taken on my mobile phone.  The Flower is amazing, and it is no wonder that it holds a special place in Indian culture!

Iemoto Akane arranged flowers for the G8 Hokkaido Toyako summit. Read about her experiences, by clicking Akane Teshigahara's A bunch of thoughts Nice pictures as well. She also created an outdoor bamboo installation with members of the Hokkaido branch.

The September workshop was hosted by Seethalakshmi at a farmhouse near Muttukadu, and it was a enjoyable morning, for besides the Ikebana, we saw a stone art gallery on the farm, went to the beach, had refreshing yelaneer, and a sumptuous lunch!  Thank you Seetha! We were joined by the ladies from the Japanese Consulate, including Ms Minagawa, as well as her French guest Claire, who brought along 2month old Theodore, who was most adorable, and quickly developed a huge female fan following among us! Over to the Ikebana. The material in focus was casuarina, which grows on the farm, and there was also some lotus available. Ashok used both in this creative composition below.  For me, the amazing aspect was the stiffness of the lotus stem. It did not need to be wired or anything!  (I have used it at home now, and the lotus has stayed erect as a bud for the last two days! Seetha created this moribana arrangement, with red roses contrasting the yellow vase, and the brown berries providing a n...