Ikebana and us

January 19th 2018 Our first workshop of 2018, and it was an exciting way to kick off the year!  In keeping with the artistic principles of Sogetsu Ikebana, the challenge was to use only man-made material in our compositions. Ten members of the Study Group assembled for the workshop.  Sensei Prerana started us off  with a demonstration of the theme, and her four compositions were each different, unique and creative, giving the group many ideas for the future. Each arrangement was accompanied by an interesting narrative which helped us viewers understand the artist's mind. As she began her first composition, Sensei Prerana said, "I was visiting a craft exhibition recently and I saw a craftsman making bookmarks with different coloured wires.  A thought struck me that I should use these wires.  I ran the next day and literally cajoled the craftsman to sell a few meters of the wires.  While I was very excited with the material,  I still had no idea what to do with them.  A

December 21 st   2017 The last workshop for 2017 was held on December 21st     at ABK Hall, Chennai.  Eight members   were present and Chitra Rajan, who attended the workshop in Delhi by Sensei Yoko Hosono on curriculum updation, shared with us her experiences of Sensei's demo and narratives. She commented how Sensei Hosono noted that simplicity is the key, and one should consider the three lines as representing the materials, the artist and the viewer. Chitra Rajan sharing her experience of Sensei Yoko Hosono's demo Thank you Chitra for the crisp and lively presentation. Sensei Ambika took over the second half of the workshop to present a slide show and demonstrate on the day's theme.  A visit to Seattle, USA, is incomplete without a day at the Chihuly Garden and Glass museum. She  had the opportunity to be there and gave  the group a virtual tour through the fascinating world of glass in hundreds of colours and designs. As students and teachers of I