Ikebana and us

16th Sept 2014 Our September workshop featured sensei Meenakshi Sarin demonstrating with combination vases, followed by a workshop where the members also worked with combination vases. Both her arrangements were with nagiere vases, though completely different in texture and style. Her first arrangement was with a pair of glass vases. Meenu filled the vases with formica strips from the carpenter working in her home, creating an interesting effect.  The strips also served as a fixture for the strelitzia and umbrella plant in the arrangement. Her second arrangement was this beautiful pair, elegantly complemented  with the heliconia.  The graceful bamboo and the variegated dressina added depth to the creation. It was a wonderful start to the workshop, and then it was time for the members to try their hands, and everyone worked with enthusiasm. The vases were all different and there was a variety of material on display as well. Ambika used a pair of nagiere

21st Augut 2014 We met for our August workshop at the ABK AOTS Dosokai centre.  Sensei Molly Cherian gave a demonstration on "The Colour Red" using a moribana and a nagiere vase. Sensei worked wonderfully with materials found around us in Chennai. Gulmohar flowers used for the first time in our workshops.  Sensei Molly suggested that they should be cut early in the morning, given a good drink of water, and then they could be used. What better way to explore "red" than with the Mayflower, which paints our cities red in the summer! Sensei Molly's second demonstration in a nagiere vase By Divya, who used large red jerberas dramatically. By Sensei Meenakshi who had red circles in her dry material to complement the white vase and balance the anthuriums. Zaitoon - the red anthurium against the white plate made for a lovely contrast. Rupa worked with orchids Chitra - the vase set the tone for a bold, dynamic arrange