July workshop - Haiku--Poetry and Ikebana
July 8, 2017
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| Janaki presenting the summary of accounts and Secretary's Report |
The workshop got under way with a summary of accounts and Secretary’s report presented by Janaki. Mrs. Malathi Pandurang announced the themes and resource persons for the coming months.
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| Ambika creating the tranquil pond scene |
Sensei Ambika chose a wonderful theme for her demo—“My experience with haiku and ikebana” and briefly introduced members to haiku poetry. She read out translations of two poems that inspired her to do the arrangements. Ambika had written her own haiku to celebrate the welcoming carpet of yellow flowers in her parents’ garden.
Members were fascinated by the concept and the facility with which Ambika recreated verse into perfect ikebana pieces.
Of three arrangements she did, the first one was based on a frog jumping into a pond and the stillness broken by this. The simple materials she used were perfect for a pond scene and a pebble was thrown in to show the frog jumping. Ripples were created using thin flexible twigs and the end result was a feeling of tranquility amidst nature.
Furu ike ya
kawazu tobikomu
mizu no oto
Breaking the silence
of an ancient pond
a frog jumped into water
a deep resonance
Matsuo Basho
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| One can feel the stillness of the pond. Anthurium leaves, lemon grass, Amaralis lilies, berries and jasmine branches for line. |
Ambika moved on to the next arrangement evocative of an ancient well overgrown with morning glory and a tangle of creepers that make it impossible for the poet to access the well water. She skillfully depicted this with a brown nagiere vase, ferns and allamanda.
asagao ni
asagao ni
tsurube torarete
morai mizu
Morning glory
The well bucket entangled
I ask for water
Fukuda Chiyo ni
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| The tangle of morning glory covering the well, a brown nagiere vase, ferns and allamanda being the ideal choice for this |
The beautiful yellow carpet fades
as the gnarled tree watches.
Ambika
Inspired by the haiku poems Ambika wrote this poem recalling the pretty yellow carpet of flowers under the bottle brush tree in her parents' home. She used a peltaforum branch, yellow chrysanthemums and fallen Peltaforum flowers to showcase this beautiful scene.
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| The welcoming carpet of flowers under the bottlebrush tree in Ambika's parents' home |
The members then got down to doing their pieces on minimalistic freestyle and it was a treat to watch so many interpretations of the theme.
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Sensei Malathi used a light green vase to showcase her aspidistra leaf interestingly split, and a solitary Copsia for a touch of colour.
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| Sensei Trishala reflects the angular vase using anthurium flower and leaf. |
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| Pushkala chose an abstract vase resembling a seated lady gracefully balancing the subtle pink flower and leaves |
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Prerana’s
arrangement is minimalistic with the single large alocasia leaf
depicting strength. The
flower though colourful is shy and hiding behind the leaf.
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| Sensei Prerana has used the sweep of the spray can to showcase a single sprig of purple orchid |
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| The flat vase, twigs and interesting placement of anthuriums create a wind blown effect by Sensei Meenakshi |
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| Sensei Dalley used tall grass, pink flowers and brown nagiere vase in this simple cheerful piece. An additional ceramic piece adds an element of interest |
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| White plumeria flowers and dracaena in a blue ceramic nageire vase was Sensei Divya’s choice for flowers fresh from the garden. |
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Chitra
Thiagarajan created a natural look with a tree bark as a base for dracaena
and orange zerberas.
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| Bhuvana
used a fragile looking bright blue vase with a designof cracked lines. She
used dry twigs to match the crisscross lines and bright orange zerbera for colour. |
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| Pastel pink contrasted with deep maroon; simplicity and grace combine to make a pleasing arrangement by Sathya |
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| Sensei Janaki chose allamanda and calladium from her garden, using two vases to blend the various coloursin a seamless arrangement. |
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