Ikebana and us

 Saturday 21st November 2020 The Chennai Sogetsu Study Group continued with our online monthly meetings.  We used Google Meet as always, to get together at 11 am on the 21st, for an online demonstration by our sensei Divya, who chose to work with baskets - natural woven ones. 24 members tuned in including our new members Suneela, Susan, Sumi,  Niloufer and Rupa, who were introduced by their respective teachers.  The Study Group is delighted to have new additions and we all hope to meet in person soon!   Sensei Divya connected from her home and brought us three lovely, elegant arrangements.  In her trademark quiet, smiling and confident manner, sensei Divya explained about the materials and the baskets. For her first composition she used a deep basket and placed another container within to hold water and help keep the materials in place.  Emphasizing and incorporating the basket weave into the arrangement, the materials were used low and along the rim, ...

 10th October 2020 18 members tuned in to our online Google Meet monthly meeting at 11am on this Saturday, to enjoy a different kind of experience.  Sensei Malathi requested members to ask all their doubts that they may have regarding the art of Ikebana. After a few minutes of Hellos, greetings and ensuring that all except the questioner had their mikes off, we began.  Below is a summary of the questions, and answers.  While it was a more elaborate discussion, captured here is the essence of the response. Prerana :  Please explain what is artistic space in an Ikebana arrangement. Ans: Space, or the absence of material, is in itself an important part of an Ikebana arrangement.   The space between main lines and jushis is important as a beginner but taking advantage of space as part of your arrangement as you advance, defines an ikebana arrangement.  Incorporating space improves the aesthetics of the arrangement, I can say, and it also allows for the vi...

 12th September 2020   As the COVID pandemic rages on, we continue our online workshops.  It has been an interesting journey of discovery as to the amount that we can do in the "virtual" world. We obviously all miss the ease of face to face meetings - and we do not seem to be able to go beyond hello and how are you in our social intereactions on a video meet, but the fact that we are able to stay in touch, and keep our Ikebana practice going has been therapeutic and energising. This month sensei Trishala volunteered  to do a demonstration on no-kenzan arrangements.  It was a challenge for her, to deal with the technology of the demonstration, more than the Ikebana challenge, I am sure!!  But she was game and up to it, as we did a mock call to ensure that the camera angles are fine and that we can hear and see her. On the 12th, we had 17 members in attendance for the workshop. And thankfully the internet "Gods" were with us, and we all had good reception and...

8th August 2020  The Chennai Sogetsu Study Group is continuing with its monthly meetings, moving them online, to deal with the restrictions and safety requirements of the COVID pandemic.  Chennai continues to be under lockdown. Our August workshop included a demosntration by sensei Molly from her home, while we all watched, connected via Google Meet.  There were thirteen participants in the subsequent workshop, whle fifteen attended the demonstration.  In her usual methodical and understated style, sensei Molly was efficiently well prepared with materials and camera set up, and began her demonstration with a round moribana vase. The theme for this month was contrasting the shape of the container in the arrangement.  So, for her first piece, sensei Molly contrasted the circular container, with geometric shapes created with the umbrella plant.  Even the Periwinkle flowes and Wax rose fruits echoed the octagonal shapes she created with the lines!  The Hel...

Saturday 18th July 2020 What a unusual few months it has been for all of us, as we continue in the lockdown here in Chennai. Our Sogetsu Study Group were to reconvene after the summer break, and we had to adapt and look to technology to keep us connected. As our Chairperson sensei Malathi said, "under the circumstances, we have been connected well during summer as well as the shut down period. Let us wish for a wonderful year ahead." The theme for the online July demonstration and workshop was “Abstract arrangements in the time of lockdown.” Members are all home-bound and getting material is a challenge.  hence the idea was to look to move away from natural expressions, to Abstract expressions with whatever material we could work with, in this period. Sensei Ambika volunteered to do a live online demonstration of two compositions via Google Meet. Within the next 2-3 days, all members uploaded their arrangements to Google Photos, and everyone had an enjoyable time lea...

April 20th 2020 With the Covid Lockdown in Chennai, it was not possible to have a face to face meeting or workshop.  Instead, we had a "virtual" meeting via our WhatsApp group.  The theme was "Miniatures Challenge" - the idea being to create Ikebana with whatever we find in our homes.  So while some members had to be really innovative using dry material,  grape stems, clay creations and tomatoes, others had the luxury of their spring home gardens. We had 24 members participating, the highest we have had for any workshop! Click on the link below to enjoy the creativity and enterprise of our Chennai Sogetsu Study Group members! Ikebana in the time of lockdown. Our April workshop of Miniatures with materials available at our homes. - Google Photos

10th March 2020 13 of us gathered at ABK AOTS Dosokai, at the start of the Coronavirus spreading in India.  We were cautious to maintain social distance, and used namastes to greet each other, rather than our customary warm handshakes and hugs! It was unanimously decided to request our current office bearers to continue for another term, and they readily accepted.  Ms Bhuvana Shivshankaran will be the program Coordinator and Ms Chelvi Gopinath the Treasurer. A novel experiment was done.  In order to give the budding sensei-to-be senior students a chance to demonstrate from the back, they were encouraged to do one basic lesson from the rear.  The lesson was chosen by lots. Chitra Rajan demonstrated Variation 1 moribana Slanting style, with a lovely dry branch and roses. With her arrangement, a smile of accomplishment! The beautiful completed arrangement.  Next Bhuvana was to demonstrate Variation 3 Slanting moribana. With her arr...

Feb 20th 2020 On the occasion of the Emperor of Japan's birthday reception, it is customary for the Consulate of Japan, Chennai to get in touch with our Chairperson, Sensei Malathi, to embellish the hall with a work of Ikebana.                          It was no different this year, though the big difference was that this was the first reception for Emperor Naruhito, who was crowned in May 2019. The space required that the arrangement be no taller than 3 feet, and was to one side of the podium, whilst on the other Sensei Cherry Venkatesh of the Ohara school would be displaying her work. Using tall vases this time meant that the arrangement of flowers needed to occupy a more horizontal space. The final composition - Chrysanthemums, Ibericum berries, gypsofilia.  Do notice the touch of gold on the leaves. Ohara school's Cherry Venkatesh worked on the other side of the podium. Mrs Karen Uchi...

Jan 24th 2020 After our enriching and interesting experience of doing our annual exhibition at the Cholamandal Artists' Village earlier in the month, there was an interesting request from Jacob Jebaraj, the Cholamandal artist.  He was participating in the Madras Art Guild's Connecting Communities Through Art exhibition at VR Mall, with three installations that used discarded material for the most part. His installations were ready, and would we care to add fresh material and bring in the essence of Ikebana into these pieces?  Our member Sathya G, who resides at Cholamandal, was the coordinator for this whole project. VR Mall is a busy mall in the Anna Nagar side of town, and they had given us permission to work on these installations only after 830 pm!  So it was that Sathya, Mrs Jacob and Ambika set off from the ECR side at 630pm and reached the venue after a maddeningly slow and tortuous ride at 845 in the evening. They were armed with long-lasting flowers like...

11th January 2020 The high-end Palladium Mall, adjacent to Phoenix City Mall, organised a multi-cultural morning, exclusively for women.  The event was organised by Glass Box, an Event Management Company.  They presented different activities like artistic Ikebana, creative zentangles, nail art,  calligraphy etc. All these various activities went on at the same time, in the large common area of the mall, near the Food Court.  Separate space was allocated for each activity with nice tables and comfortable chairs. While few participants registered early whereas others just walked in.  Altogether we had 10 participants. Both sensei were helped efficiently by Ms Luna Bose  The Ikebana demonstration was in two sessions of one hour each. Sensei Molly started the first one,  with one Freestyle composition mainly to attract the passers by. This attracted the attention of few more passersby who walked in. Sensei Molly then demonstrated thr...