Ikebana and us

25th June 2019 The Coast Guard Wives Welfare Association organised a Sogetsu Ikebana demonstration, and Sensei Meenakshi Sarin was the one who introduced and explained the basics of the art. Her experience with Coast Guards Women's Association was one of awe for the discipline and protocol for the Armed Forces. Sensei Meenakshi was assisted by her student Jyotsna.  The DG's wife was the chief guest for the morning. As per protocol we could not take pictures, they had assigned a cameramen.  Here are some pictures of the event. Sensei Meenakshi demonstrating her first piece  The first piece was in a white fibre-glass container, nd was titled Sogetsu. She used Dressina to follow the shape and added chrysanthemum to give colour. Sensei Meenu wanted to give the look of greens and flowers growing the container.   The second one was in a black suiban, used a curved Dressina trimmed the leaves to give a blunt look, and emphasise the line. The adenium cadix  also br

11th and 12th June 2019 Bangalore Ikebana International Bangalore chapter organised a demonstration of Sogetsu Ikebana by Mr. Christopher Lim from Singapore on June 11th, 2019, accompanied by a beginners and advanced workshop on the 12th of June. Five of our members Sensei Molly, Dalley, students Chitra, Mala and Mohan attended the programme. Chris Lim did several compositions without kenzan and cross bar support. And finally a large one. Here are the pictures taken by members. At the end of the demonstration.  The workshops involved smaller compositions with focus on the techniques, balance and fixtures.  Sensei Chris used local material for this. Mala's arrangement in the workshop, with a beautiful display of lines. Mohan's bold interpretation with the same materials. In the advanced workshop, the focus was on creating structures that show movement.  Participants were asked to use dry branches and natur

June 5th 2019 Chithra Rajan's composition with strong powerful mass and movement Study Group member Chitra Rajan, made an arrangement for the Governor's visit to Shri Ramachandra Mission Meditation Centre. The Governor Mr Banwarilal Purohitstood before her Ikebana and commented that he had not seen an arrangement like this before. He also participated in narrating a grandmother's Tale

24th May 2019 The Indo Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IJCCI) organised an event to usher in the new Japanese imperial era - Reiwa - while remembering the Heisei era. Sensei Malathi was requested to speak about her interactions with the royal couple when she met them, as also her memories of Japan in the Heisei era.  The special meeting was attended by several of the senseis of the Study Group. Mr Kumar, President of IJCCI made the opening remarks.  Each of the speakers had some connection  and reason to be there.  While Mr Gandhi reminisced about the visit of the former Emperor to Kalakshetra and their graciousness and curiosity about everything around them, Dr Indira and Mr Ravi spoke about the long-standing Indo-Japan relations n a people-to-people and and at a governmental level as well. From L to R - Sensei Malathi, Dr Indira, Mr Kumar, Mr Uchiyama, Mr G Gandhi and Mr N Ravi Sensei Malathi gave a warm and extempore speech about her visits to Japan and her

May 8th 2019 Sensei Molly did a wonderful Sogetsu ikebana workshop and demonstration at Phoenix Mall in Velachery on the theme ' Mother and Child' on Mother's Day. The workshop was open to mother-and-child pairs.  Six mother and child pairs took part, and were given a basic introduction to the art. Sensei Molly was helped by her student Luna Bose and Chitra Rajan, and the sessions went off well with good participation. Here are some pictures from the workshop. Sensei Molly (in blue), Chitra Rajan (in green) and Luna Bose (Black jacket) with participants

April 9th 2019 With Latha Gopal The last meeting before the summer was an excursion to the Cholamandal Artists' Village , with the aim of looking at other art forms and learning from dialogues with other artists.   Eleven members of the Study Group were present. Located in Injambakkam, the Village is India's largest self-supporting community of artists,  who live and work in a 10 acre space.  Established in 1966, painters, sculptors and mixed medium artists all work together, and the Village is considered the centre of the Madras Movement, which brought modernism to South Indian art. We were taken around the Gallery by artist Latha Gopal, who is also the daughter of one of the founding artists Mr K S Gopal.  Photography is not allowed in the gallery, but there were a beautiful collection of canvases, sculptures and photographs as well. The members chatted and discussed in groups, admiring the brush strokes, colour combinations, lines and free expressions of the exh